According to the department, the operation was conducted between 18h00 and 00h00 on the R101.

Provincial Head of Department Stephen Mantjena says all six arrested drivers were driving under the influence of alcohol with ages ranging from 21 to 49 years old.

” The highest alcohol reading recorded was 0.98 a staggering level that significantly increased the risk of accidents and fatalities,” said HOD Stephen Matjena

Departmental HOD says the dangers of driving under the influence can not be overstated. It puts not only the driver’s life at risk but also the lives of innocent passengers, pedestrians, and other road users.

Motorists are urged to plan ahead, designate a sober driver, and prioritize safety this Easter weekend.

Meanwhile, all 550 buses dispatched by Putco to ZCC Easter Moria Pilgrimage have arrived safely without incidents.

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The shocking incident was confirmed by KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, who revealed that the driver blew an alcohol reading of 2.0mg per 1000ml of breath—an extreme figure compared to the legal limit of just 0.10mg.

And this wasn’t an isolated case.

A second driver, also navigating the same treacherous stretch of road, was arrested shortly afterward with an alcohol level three times the legal limit. Both arrests occurred at Van Reenen’s Pass, a mountainous area notorious for its dangerous conditions and high volume of truck traffic.

These arrests come just weeks after KwaZulu-Natal buried nine people who died in a tragic truck-related accident in Empangeni, along the N2. That crash claimed the lives of parents, children, and breadwinners—leaving behind grieving families and, in some cases, orphans.

“These are not just numbers,” said MEC Duma during a briefing with his department’s senior management. “These are lives—real people, with families and futures that were stolen because of someone’s reckless decision.”

Duma did not mince words. He instructed the Road Traffic Inspectorate to crack down on negligent behavior with renewed force. The province, he said, would adopt a zero-tolerance approach—especially toward truck drivers, whose vehicles can cause immense destruction in a split second.

“Trucks, more than any other vehicles on our roads, pose a deadly risk when driven carelessly. Their weight, size, and impact potential make them weapons in the wrong hands,” he said.

He also reminded the public that the province’s road infrastructure is currently under construction and cannot afford to become a playground for lawlessness. The cost of such reckless behavior goes far beyond lives lost—it’s a burden on the entire country.

South Africa, he pointed out, loses over R164 billion every year due to road accidents—an amount equivalent to 3.4% of the nation’s GDP. On top of that, the Road Accident Fund paid out over R45.6 billion in claims during the 2023-2024 financial year alone.

“These aren’t just statistics,” Duma added. “They represent lost potential, national trauma, and families left in ruin. We have a duty to act.”

His department has vowed to intensify patrols, conduct random breathalyzer tests, and enforce stricter penalties for those found guilty of drunk or reckless driving.

As families in KwaZulu-Natal continue to mourn loved ones lost in preventable accidents, the province is now drawing a hard line: irresponsible drivers, especially those operating heavy vehicles, will face the full weight of the law.

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