The Road Traffic Management Corporation has been dealing with corruption among officers in Mpumalanga. PHOTO: Facebook/Msukaligwa Local Municipality
KZN roads are already experiencing huge traffic volumes but the Road Traffic Inspectorate has only 140 blood/alcohol test kits.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation has been dealing with corruption among officers in Mpumalanga. PHOTO: Facebook/Msukaligwa Local Municipality
The KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) is facing a severe shortage of blood/alcohol test kits, with only 140 kits available for the entire province.
Transport MEC Sipho Hlomuka revealed this in a parliamentary response to the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province.
The province of KwaZulu-Natal is not only facing a shortage of test kits, but 80 out of a total of 464 KZN RTI vehicles are also awaiting various repairs and are out of operation.
In terms of the blood/alcohol test kits, the DA had asked about the number of blood kits at each RTI station and what is the number of blood tests where there are zero kits listed; Hlomuka was also asked to state the period the station has had no access to blood/alcohol kits.
In response, Hlomuka said RTI currently has 140 antemortem blood alcohol test kits for use at alcohol enforcement roadblocks.
DA KZN spokesperson on Transport, Sharon Hoosen, said they are stunned by this figure in a province that has already experienced so much horrific loss due to road carnage this year.
Hoosen said if this is indeed the case – and there are only 140 kits – then the MEC and his department are effectively expecting RTI officers to perform a miracle in keeping drunk drivers off our roads in the coming few weeks.
“The finding also comes after the MEC promised that his department was ready for the festive season and that they would not tolerate drunk drivers. This is yet another empty promise from a provincial government that does not care.”
The DA said the number of RTI vehicles missing from roads is of equal concern, as 20% are booked for repairs.
According to Hlomuka’s reply, the worst affected regions are Midway (Estcourt) and Pietermaritzburg, with the highest number of vehicles – 10 and seven, respectively – awaiting repairs. This is despite both districts already experiencing an extremely high accident and fatality rates.
Then there are the extended periods when cars sit, waiting for repairs. According to the reply;
Hoosen said that MEC Hlomuka has no place within the critical department. Regarding road safety, he serves no purpose to the people of KwaZulu-Natal or those visiting it during this festive season.
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