KZN Intensifies Road Safety Drive as Drunk Driving Arrests Surge

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has reaffirmed its commitment to road safety and law enforcement following a spike in drunk driving arrests across the province and the tragic rise in fatalities from a recent scholar transport accident in Pietermaritzburg.

Drunk Driving Crackdown Across KZN

Since 15 August 2025, more than 293 motorists have been arrested for drinking and driving, with 93 arrests recorded over the past weekend alone. The arrests were spread across several areas, including:

• 33 motorists in Kokstad

• 24 in Durban (Umhlanga)

• 20 in Pietermaritzburg

• 16 in Ladysmith

Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma commended the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and law enforcement partners for their dedication and swift action in curbing reckless driving.

“We value the enduring partnership with Lt General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who deployed the South African Police Service. Traffic officers from eThekwini Metro, Umsunduzi, Kokstad, and Ladysmith augmented our operations. We also remain encouraged by contributions from private security companies such as KZN VIP Protection, Blue Security, Marshal Security, and many others,” Duma said.

He highlighted the support of civil society, noting that ratepayers’ associations, NGOs, and residents have rallied behind the province’s “Zero Tolerance, No Nonsense, and Alufakwa” campaign. This campaign specifically targets suburbs, townships, and city centres to ensure that criminal groups and reckless individuals do not misuse road networks.

Duma singled out individuals like Jacques Poupard of the Umhlanga Ratepayers & Residents Association and Julian Pillay, National Director of the Vehicle Testing Association, for their public encouragement and advocacy.

Scholar Transport Tragedy: Death Toll Rises

While celebrating successes in curbing road crime, the province is mourning another tragic loss from the scholar transport accident in Imbali, Pietermaritzburg, which has now claimed its fifth life.

Fifteen-year-old Nomalanga Ndawonde, a Grade 9 learner at Zibukezulu High School, succumbed to severe brain injuries at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital. She had been critically injured when a Toyota Siyaya minibus taxi transporting learners suffered brake failure on T22 Road in Unit 18, Imbali Township. The vehicle veered off the road, struck a tree, and crashed into Senzokuhle Pre-School.

“We were nursing hope that she was going to survive and rejoin her classmates. Sadly, she has left us,” Duma said, extending condolences to the Ndawonde family.

Provincial Support for Families

In response, the Department of Transport has dispatched a support team to assist the Ndawonde family during this difficult time. Furthermore, an integrated response team comprising:

• Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane

• Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka

• Umgungundlovu District Mayor Mzi Zuma

• Umsunduzi Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla

• Local councillors

has been mobilised to provide support to affected families and schools.

Four other learners who perished in the crash have already been laid to rest. The tragedy has reignited concerns over the safety and regulation of scholar transport vehicles, many of which are older models lacking adequate maintenance.

A Balancing Act: Enforcement and Safety

The MEC stressed that the province’s road safety campaign is not only about law enforcement against drunk drivers but also about addressing vehicle safety, driver accountability, and public awareness.

As KwaZulu-Natal grapples with both reckless driving and the vulnerabilities of learner transport, the dual tragedies of rising arrests and young lives lost underscore the urgency of a comprehensive, sustained approach to road safety.