The Department of Transport is pursuing amendments that would reduce South Africa’s legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers to zero.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said the proposed change to Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act was being reviewed by the Chief State Law Advisor and through the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment System. The department aims to secure Cabinet agreement before the end of 2026.
The proposal is not yet law. Current statutory limits remain in force until Parliament passes an amendment and it takes effect.
Creecy said more than 18,000 people were arrested for drunken driving between March and the end of August, accounting for about a third of traffic arrests during the period. She said South Africa continued to record close to 12,000 road deaths a year.
Kashifa Ancer of the DG Murray Trust’s Rethink Your Drink campaign told CapeTalk that a zero limit would require stronger testing, policing resources and consistent enforcement.
She also raised practical questions about very low readings that could result from medication, fermented foods or residual alcohol in the mouth. Those implementation questions will have to be addressed as the proposed law is drafted and considered.
The government’s stated position is that people should not consume alcohol before driving. Further details, including the wording and commencement date of any amendment, will depend on the legislative process.
