Drunk driving crackdown leads to twenty-five arrests

Twenty-five motorists were arrested for drunk driving in Pietermaritzburg between Friday night and early Saturday morning as Easter weekend operations intensified. One motorist allegedly pleaded for forgiveness, blaming friends for his drunken state. The arrests form part of the ongoing #NenzaniLaEzweni campaign, with Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) operations extending across the province and exposing a range of reckless offences on the roads.

KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma said RTI officers were being firm and decisive in taking dangerous drivers off the road. According to the department, one motorist, who appeared visibly shaken after his arrest, allegedly asked officers for mercy. “Forgive me, my friends made me do it,” the driver said.

In other parts of the province, operations also continued. In Park Rynie, a driver was arrested after being caught speeding at 190km/h in a 120km/h zone. RTI officials said the motorist appeared unusually cheerful at the time, singing and whistling before being taken into custody. In Port Shepstone, multiple motorists were arrested for drunk driving during ongoing operations, with officials describing chaotic scenes as suspects were processed.