Eight Cape motorists have been convicted of drunken driving while not even holding driving licences.
This has emerged from the latest list of names of Western Cape drivers who have been sentenced for alcohol-related crimes in Western Cape courts and whose names have been handed to the provincial Transport Department for capture on the electronic eNatis database.
Transport MEC Robin Carlisle said: “I don't believe it's likely that one can mitigate that degree of irresponsibility. Under those circumstances, those people should be prohibited from driving for the rest of their lives. We'll be discussing this with the NPA.”
He believed the campaign to reduce drunken driving had already been successful.
“I don't think there can be any question that the most successful part of the 'safely home' project is the changed attitude around drinking and driving.
“I get this from all quarters - people telling me how they've changed their behaviour,” he reported.
Among the sentences handed down by magistrate's courts in connection with the latest recorded convictions was that of Theron Krawe of Moorreesburg, who was sentenced to correctional supervision. He had to undertake 20 hours of community service a month at Malmesbury Ambulance Station for 18 months and had to report to his police station regularly during this period.
He was ordered to avoid “strong liquor” and not move house or change jobs during this period.
The news came on the back of the arrest of two traffic officers on Thursday in connection with fraud at a licence testing station in Worcester.
“It's now clear to me that the selling of both learners' and driving licences is very widespread,” Carlisle said.
“We're putting all our resources on to it. We've concluded successful investigations at three centres - Velddrif, Vredenberg and Worcester - and we have sting operations at another three coming. These are mainly at rural municipalities. We're not encountering these types of problems in the city.” - Cape Argus