Motorist call for stronger measures against drunk drivers

By Tando Mfengwana and Parker Mah
10 January 2007

During the 2006 festive season about 293 drivers on Western Cape roads were caught driving under the influence of alcohol. However, road accidents in the province have decreased by ten percent compared to 2005.

A number of measures have been put in place to ensure safety throughout the festive season by government. A law approved in 2006 allows the Asset Forfeiture Unit to confiscate the vehicles of repeat offenders.

Albert Maneveld (left) a truck driver, said, “For the government to lock these people up is actually a waste of time, because there’s no more prisons, there’s hotels. If the law was much more stringent, they should take the keys and throw it away.”

According to AFU guardlines a vehicle can be confiscated when the driver is a repeat offender or someone who is awaiting trial on a previous drunk driving charge.

Fazlin Gierdien (left) says that, “It’s a bit reactive and not proactive, I suppose. But somebody could’ve gotten hurt in the process before that… it’s a good start but not the answer necessarily.”

Guillame Kabala, believes that the government has done all it can to curb this, “It’s not the government who supplies the beer, it’s the driver who should feel responsible to go and buy beer. We can’t blame the government; we have to blame ourselves, the drivers.”

Pictures: Parker Mah