Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has renewed calls for tougher action against drunk drivers ahead of the Easter travel period. She says motorists who drink, drive and cause fatal crashes should face the harshest possible consequences.

According to The South African, Creecy believes drivers who cause fatal crashes while under the influence should be charged with premeditated murder. She made the remarks as government ramps up its road safety message before one of the busiest and deadliest travel periods on South Africa’s roads.

Creecy Wants Strongest Punishment Possible

Creecy’s position is blunt. She believes drivers who kill while under the influence should be charged with murder, not a lesser offence.

She also repeated her support for a zero-tolerance approach to drunk driving. Earlier this year, she said any amount of alcohol in a driver’s system should be enough for arrest and prosecution.

At present, general drivers commit an offence if they exceed 0.05g of alcohol per 100ml of blood or 0.24mg per 1 000ml of breath. Professional drivers face stricter limits of 0.02g per 100ml of blood or 0.10mg per 1 000ml of breath.

The minister told NEDLAC that 85% of people in trauma units are above the legal blood alcohol limit, underlining how serious the problem remains.

Easter Road Deaths Remain a Major Concern

The warning comes as South Africa heads into the Easter long weekend, a period often marked by high traffic volumes and deadly crashes.

Creecy said most fatal accidents happen at night and over weekends, with alcohol playing a major role. She added that weaker law enforcement visibility during those periods remains a concern.

Government is now looking at stronger policing measures, including more roadblocks, visible policing and a possible flexi-shift system to improve enforcement when crashes are most likely to happen.

Road Safety Campaign Shows Early Gains

Despite her hard line, Creecy said current enforcement efforts are showing results. She said road fatalities are down 10% so far in 2026.

That lines up with remarks she made at the launch of the 2026 Easter Road Safety Campaign, where preliminary data for 1 January to 15 March showed fatalities had dropped 10% compared with the same period last year.

She also said the number of crashes fell by 11% over that period, with every province recording a decrease.

Still, turning Creecy’s call into successful prosecutions may not be simple.

Legal experts said proving premeditated murder requires evidence that a death was planned and deliberate. In drunk driving cases, that could be difficult to prove in court.