WESTERN CAPE NEWS - Punitive warnings resulting in severe punishment haven't ever deterred South Africans – notorious for drinking and driving – from getting behind the wheel.
But something of a miracle happened last weekend.
For the first time in almost half-a-century there were no drunk-driving cases on Western Cape roads.
Being described as a "silver lining" in dark times of the pandemic that now shrouds South Africa and the world, it seems drivers have taken real note of legislation prohibiting drinking after 18:00.
Western Cape traffic chief Kenny Africa announced at the beginning of the week that no drunk drivers were arrested in the province over the weekend, since alcohol sales were banned after 18:00.
No one was more surprised than Africa, who said he has never seen anything like this. "Government's ban on the sale of liquor after 18:00 has had a positive spin-off in the Western Cape," marvelled Africa. "No drunk drivers were arrested in the province last weekend and this is a first in my long career."
He said 216 vehicles were stopped and seven drivers were tested for drinking. "The good news is that we did not have any drunken drivers arrested last night on the roads in the Western Cape – an absolute first in my 46 years in service as a traffic officer, the first Friday that we did not arrest a person for drunken driving and this is superb," were his words.
Africa said this was "good news" to come out of the present situation and he urged people to keep adhering to the rules of no drinking and driving. He said traffic for the rest of the week might peak and then slow down by Friday. While he expected people to be driving to the Garden Route or leaving, for example to be with family in the Eastern Cape or other parts of the province, he said by the time the lockdown comes on Friday morning, "we will wake up to very quiet streets and roads".
And as far as Africa is concerned, "long may people who have been drinking stay away from their motor vehicles".
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