KwaZulu-Natal’s drunk drivers are learning the hard way that the party ends at the roadblock, after Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officers staged a dramatic weekend clampdown that saw scores of motorists — from professionals to public servants – arrested and set to appear in court on Monday. On Saturday evening, the KwaZulu-Natal RTI arrested 95 motorists for driving under the influence. Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said the operation delivered significant results, with dozens of offenders removed from the roads in a single night.
In Stanger, officers arrested 39 motorists, including two police officers — one of them from Gauteng. “The group comprised 37 men and two women,” Duma said. In Newcastle, 36 motorists were taken into custody, including a senior municipal official, three teachers and a nurse.
RTI officials said the arrests demonstrated that the operation was indiscriminate, targeting offenders regardless of profession. A further 20 motorists were arrested in Port Shepstone, where tensions escalated during one of the arrests. Duma said one of those detained was a Gauteng-based motorist who is also a government service provider with tenders worth billions of rands.
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That group included seven women and 13 men. “This chase and arrest of the service provider is a clear indication that we are determined to restore law and order on our roads,” Duma said in a statement. The situation intensified when relatives of the suspect attempted to confront RTI officers.
A female RTI officer and a colleague called for backup, prompting the arrival of additional RTI members and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The standoff was resolved without further incident. High arrest numbers were also recorded during operations last Friday.
In Margate and Port Shepstone, 38 motorists — nine women and 29 men — were arrested, including a 74-year-old driver. In Newcastle, 32 motorists were detained, among them a police officer, a firefighter, a paramedic and two teachers. Another 32 arrests were made in Groutville and Stanger, with the oldest offender aged 65.
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