Durban – A truck driver has been taken into custody along the N3 highway after testing positive for a blood alcohol concentration 18 times higher than the legal limit permitted for professional drivers in South Africa.
The arrest occurred at the Tugela Plaza and was carried out by a Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officer stationed at Van Reenen as part of the ongoing #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, confirmed the incident and described the RTI member as “no-nonsense and energized” for removing the driver from the road before any harm could occur.
Duma stated that the operation is directly contributing to the protection of innocent road users by preventing potentially fatal crashes involving impaired heavy-vehicle drivers.
The MEC indicated that a comprehensive media statement detailing further aspects of the #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation will be released in due course.
The legal blood alcohol limit for professional drivers in South Africa is 0.02 grams per 100 millilitres. A level 18 times higher equates to approximately 0.36 grams per 100 millilitres.
The arrested driver now faces charges related to driving under the influence of alcohol, with additional possible charges depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities have emphasized that the swift intervention on the N3, one of the country’s busiest freight corridors, prevented what could have been a catastrophic incident involving a fully laden heavy vehicle.
