Transport minister moots tougher action against drunk drivers
The Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters says government is looking to reclassify drunken driving - and make it a schedule 5 offence.
Currently being drunk behind the wheel of a car is a schedule 3 offence, but if government is successful in making it a schedule 5, it would be much harder for offenders to be granted bail.
Peters briefed the media on the state of the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign.
The briefing reflected on the state of road safety since the launch of the festive season campaign on the 3rd December 2016, saying there has been a drastic increase in fatal accidents.
A total of 845 people have died on the country's roads between 1 and 19 December.
"I have deemed it necessary to urgently convene a meeting with all traffic chiefs and regional directors of province with high fatalities, with a view of finding a solution to reduce the carnage on the roads," Peters said.
She also briefed the media about trends that have surfaced during the festive season.
"We have noticed that traffic officers are not hard enough on drivers with unroadworthy vehicles," she said.