Reclassification for drunk driving means heavier jail time
"Those found guilty of violating the laws should face a prison sentence and the courts should show them no mercy." - Transport Minister.
THE month of May will bring new regulations where drunk driving will be reclassified from schedule 3 to a more severe schedule 5, which means heavier jail time if a driver is convicted.
In a speech delivered on Friday, 21 April by Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi, he said, over the Easter weekend more than 2,800 motorists were arrested for drunken driving, inconsiderate, reckless and negligent driving, possession of false documents and driving without licences and public driver’s permits. The number of fatalities on the roads during the long weekend increased from 156 last year to 235.
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“To ensure there are severe consequences for the road rule offenders, we are at an advanced stage in negotiations with the Department of Justice to finalise the introduction of minimum sentences for negligent and reckless driving. This is done in order to reclassify drunken driving from a schedule 3, which is less severe to a more severe schedule 5 offence to ensure that those who negligently cause crashes on the roads do not get bail easily and spend time behind bars,” said  Maswanganyi.
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The South African traffic department says that it is at an advanced stage in  discussions with the justice department to institute harsher punishments for  motorists who drink and drive – including a mandatory two-year jail sentence with no bail. Those convicted under a schedule 5 offence could face a minimum sentence for 15 years.
Schedule 5 offences included murder, attempted  murder, treason, rape, corruption, extortion and fraud.
However, Maswanganyi said those found guilty of violating the laws should  face a prison sentence of at least two years, and the courts  should show them no mercy, denying them bail.
To prevent further carnage on the roads, especially those inflicted on the passengers, The National Road Traffic Regulations  concerning  the transportation of persons in the load bay of light delivery vehicles will be amended. “The regulations will come into effect in May and they will assist in the reduction of the number of passengers dying in collisions,” he added.
