Moves are afoot to hasten alcohol testing in the Eastern Cape province with the first Alcohol Evidence Centre in the province set to open in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro tomorrow, 4 June 2010.
Having teamed up with the South African Breweries (SAB), the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Safety and Liaison in starting this project, the Eastern Cape Department of Transport moves to ensure blood tests for drunken drivers and other related crimes are conducted quickly, efficiently in order to improve administration of Justice in the province to benefit the community, especially the victims of crimes while those found guilty face the law.
Aimed at benefiting the people of the province, the new centre has been built to service entire province while other similar centers will be launched in East London and Mthatha soon.
For the department, the establishment of this Alcohol Evidence Centre will ensure no more inefficient and infective blood testing, significant reduction in processing time of blood samples for all cases, no more lost or damaged evidence, significant increase in conviction rate of drunken drivers.
The opening of the centre, few days to the kick-off of the 2010 FIFA World Cup will also beef up law enforce and administration of justice during the tournament working intimately with the special court set for the tournament related matters in the metro.
The department calls on all road users not to drink alcohol and drive or drink and walk near roads as that will increase accident and cause harm to others and even those intoxicated.
Members of the media are invited to attend the opening session, details are as follows:
Date: 4 June 2010
Venue: Straundale Traffic Department, Port Elizabeth
Time: 10h30
For more information, contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Cell: 082 4422 388
Issued by: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
3 June 2010
Source: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
(http://www.ectransport.gov.za/)
