RTMC wants drunk driving to be treated like rape and murder

The Road Traffic Management Corp (RTMC) has delivered a proposal to the department of justice demanding that driving under the influence (DUI), speeding and reckless or negligent driving be reclassified in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act.

RTMC wants these offences upgraded from a schedule 2 to a schedule 5 which would mean that drunk drivers would be treated in the same way as those accused of serious crimes such as rape, murder, theft and fraud.

RTMC also wants DUI suspects to spend at least seven days behind bars before they can be considered for bail reports Sunday Times. 

Current law allows for detainees to be granted bail in a matter of hours after they have been arrested.

The monthly crime stats released by COJ show that drunk and negligent driving continues to be a major problem as it accounts for the largest amount of arrested made by JMPD and SAPS on a monthly basis.

“We have engaged the department of justice and continue to do so with a view to redefine the traffic offences. Currently, if we arrest you for drunk driving you can be granted bail in terms of section 59 of the Criminal Procedure Act, and the senior person at the police station can offer bail. But if we then escalate it to schedule 5 or schedule 6, it should be a formal bail application [in court]. Above all, it must not be automatic, you must spend seven days before you can bring the application for bail,” said RTMC CEO Makhosini Msibi.

Although the RTMC proposal was delivered to the department a few years ago, discussions on the proposal have only recently gained traction.

“That proposal dates back to when Dipuo Peters was minister … Recently there was a meeting to revive the discussion about this proposal and take it forward – that is how far it is at this stage,” said justice minister Michael Masutha’s spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga.

(Compiled by Kaunda Selisho)

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