Durban — Reports of a shortage of blood/ alcohol testing kits in KwaZulu-Natal has the DA in the province seeking answers.
Recently, sister publication POST reported that it established that ahead of the festive season, law enforcement in the province does not have blood/ alcohol kits to test for drunken driving and is still in the process of procuring the kits.
This means that the police cannot test the sobriety of drivers at accident scenes.
DA KZN transport spokesperson, Sharon Hoosen said that the party wants answers amid claims that KZN is running out of blood/ alcohol tests.
Hoosen said that DA KZN has received various reports from law enforcement officers regarding an allegedly dire shortage of blood/alcohol testing kits in the province. This as the countdown to the festive season is already in full swing.
She said that it also comes after Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Transport MEC Sipho Hlomuka and eThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, launched the province’s integrated festive season plan amid much fanfare last Friday.
Hoosen said that during the event, Dube-Ncube said that KZN is ready to welcome holidaymakers and keep everyone safe during the festive season. She further stated that law enforcement is ready to address road carnage and take a no-nonsense approach to reckless driving.
“This is a big statement to make in light of the possible crisis that exists when it comes to ensuring that drunk drivers are held accountable for their actions,” Hoosen said.
“The DA is deeply concerned by the claims. KZN roads are becoming moving gravesites and there is no guarantee that road users will arrive alive at their destinations,” she said.
Hoosen said that incidents of drunk driving are at their highest at this time of year which make the allegations that the transport department, Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and eThekwini Municipality do not have sufficient blood-alcohol test kits, even more serious.
She said that the issue demands clarity. In a bid to ensure this, the DA has on Tuesday submitted a written parliamentary question to the MEC with the following questions:
- What is the total number of blood/ alcohol kits allocated to metro police, SAPS and RTI? Please provide the detailed number per station
- Where there are zero kits listed (see question above) please state the period of time that the SAPS station has not had access to blood/ alcohol kits
- Are all SAPS, metro and RTI officers trained on the use of blood /alcohol kits? If not, why not?
- How many RTI, SAPS and Metro officers are trained to use the kits? And;
- How many drunk drivers have been tested in KZN in the last three years using these kits and how many arrests have been made?
Hoosen added that Dube-Ncube and Hlomuka need to account and show proof that KZN is indeed ready to deal with this scourge.
“Our province is fighting a losing battle against road offenders. The department needs to commit to a zero tolerance attitude today - and not wait until December 15, 2022, when their festive season plan kicks off.
“KZN cannot continue to lose innocent lives due to reckless drivers who break the rules of the road,” Hoosen said.
Colonel Athlenda Mathe, a SAPS national spokesperson said: “SAPS has been informed that there is a global shortage of vials, which is a component of the test kit. The SAPS has met with the supplier responsible for delivering alcohol blood kits.
“We are awaiting feedback regarding the progress and arrangements the supplier has made with the manufacturer,” she said.
Mathe said the SAPS was working to ensure it had the necessary tools and resources to prevent, combat and investigate drunken driving cases.
Daily News