A doctor, three nurses and a town councillor were among 66 motorists arrested for drunk driving in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
The doctor faces charges of escaping lawful detention and could be fined or sentenced to six to 10 years in jail if found guilty.
KwaZulu-Natal transport and human settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said 44 motorists were arrested for drunk driving on Friday and Saturday morning, bringing the total number of arrests from Friday to Sunday to 110.
Since August 15, 399 drunk driving arrests have been made in the province.
According to Arrive Alive, drunk driving remains one of the biggest threats to road safety in South Africa, with research showing 50% of road fatalities involve drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above 0.05g/100ml.
The National Road Traffic Act sets the BAC limit at 0.05g/100ml for drivers and 0.02g/100ml for professional drivers. The law also specifies strict penalties, including licence suspension for six months to 10 years, depending on the offence and whether it resulted in serious injury or death.
Despite these laws, critics argue that enforcement and societal attitudes may not be strict enough to curb the problem.
TimesLIVE
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