Cosatu backs ban on driving and drinking

COSATU says the proposed bill amendment banning drinking and driving is progressive, long overdue and should be enforced ruthlessly.

Officials from the Department of Transport yesterday briefed the portfolio committee on transport on responses received during the public participation processes in relation to the amendment of the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill.

Section 65 was introduced with an amendment to reduce the blood or breath alcohol content (BAC) in a blood specimen from 0.05 grams per 100 millilitres to a proposed 0.02 grams per 100 millilitres for professional drivers; from 0.24 to 0.10 milligrams in the breath specimen of general vehicle drivers; and from 0.10 to 0.00 milligrams per 1 000 millilitres.

Parliament published the draft bill for comments on in October last year and again in January. Up to 6 000 comments were received.

The department’s chief director of road regulation, advocate Johannes Makgatho, said a need has been identified to reduce road carnage “by implementing road safety legislative interventions”.

In the comments section, Cosatu said it supported the proposed amendment.

“Alcohol is said to be responsible for 25% of road accidents. The existing laws are clearly insufficient. The current limits allow for too much ambiguity with regards to a person’s weight, age, the type of alcohol, etc. The proposed amendment simply banning any drinking and driving is progressive and long overdue. It must be ruthlessly enforced, especially for young people and professional drivers.”

The AA said evidence showed no benefit from BAC reductions in South Africa. “The effect of a zero limit will be that drivers whose blood or breath alcohol level is non-zero, but who are not in any way impaired, will be unjustly criminalised.”