A total of 8 507 motorists were arrested over the festive season, including 2 223 arrests for drunken driving and 775 for speeding.
The minister of Transport Blade Nzimande says on top of that, 1 612 people were killed in 1 286 recorded accidents during the 2018/2019 festive season.
That is 85 more deaths compared to the previous festive season. but despite this, more than 1000 fatalities were recorded, transport minister Blade Nzimande announced at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Nzimande says drivers from foreign countries also contributed to the carnage on the roads including alcohol and substance abuse, negligent driving, unroadworthy vehicles, corruption, and drivers not wearing their seatbelts.
The Minister says they will lead a crackdown on drunken driving and plan to reclassify it as a schedule five offence in the criminal procedure act.
He said the festive season death toll has become the norm in South Africa when it is anything but normal.
According to the Minister, the scourge can be addressed as other countries have done this successfully.
