Cha, umkhawulo wotshwala ongenalutho ngokwawo cishe awunakukwazi ukuthuthukisa ngokunenjongo isimo se-DUI kanye nokuphepha emgwaqweni eNingizimu Afrika, ikakhulukazi ngoba inkinga eyinhloko ibuthakathaka, ayiguquguquki, futhi ivame ukukhetha ukuphoqelelwa kwemithetho ekhona kunokuba kube umkhawulo oqondile wezinombolo. Ukushintsha umkhawulo kusukela ku-0.05 g/100 ml wamanje wotshwala egazini (i-BAC) kubashayeli abavamile (0.02 kubashayeli abangochwepheshe) uye ku-zero ophelele kungadala umlayezo ocacile wokuthi “akukho ukuphuza nokushayela”, kodwa akuxazululi ukwehluleka okubonakalayo, kwansuku zonke kokuphoqelelwa okuchazayo.

Umongo wamanje kanye nesiphakamiso

Umkhawulo osemthethweni waseNingizimu Afrika uhlala u-0.05 g/100 ml BAC (noma umoya ongu-0.24 mg/1 000 ml) kubanikazi bamalayisense abavamile futhi uqinile kubashayeli abangochwepheshe. UNgqongqoshe Wezokuthutha uBarbara Creecy ubelokhu ecindezela izichibiyelo zeSigaba 65 soMthetho Kazwelonke Wezokuthutha Emgwaqweni ukuze kube nenqubomgomo eqinile ye-zero-percent. Kusukela ekuqaleni kukaSepthemba 2026, inqubo ihilela ukufuna ukuvunyelwa kwe-Chief State Law Advisor kanye ne-Socio-Economic Impact Assessment System (SEIAS), ngenhloso yokuvumelana neKhabhinethi ekupheleni kuka-2026. Ukusetshenziswa okugcwele kusazodinga ingxoxo yephalamende, ukuphawula komphakathi, kanye nezinyathelo ezengeziwe, ngakho-ke akukabi ngumthetho.

Isizathu esishiwoyo ubukhulu benkinga: ukuboshwa kwabantu abangaphezu kuka-18 000 beshayela bedakiwe phakathi kukaMashi no-Agasti 2026 (cishe ingxenye yesithathu yabo bonke ababoshwa emgwaqweni ngaleso sikhathi), cishe ukufa kwabantu abangu-12 000 emigwaqweni minyaka yonke eminyakeni yamuva, kanye notshwala obuhlobene nesabelo esikhulu sabantu abashonile (kulinganiselwa cishe ku-27% kwezinye imibiko). Kube nentuthuko ethile muva nje—abashonile behle cishe ngo-9% engxenyeni yokuqala ka-2026 uma kuqhathaniswa no-2025—kodwa izinombolo eziphelele zisalokhu ziphezulu, futhi abantu abahamba ngezinyawo banegalelo elikhulu. Ukusekelwa kuvele emaqenjini abasebenzi njenge-MISA ngisho nakwamanye amazwi embonini yotshwala akubiza njengophawu olucacile lokuthi “akukho tshwala oluphephile ngemuva kokushayela.” Iziphakamiso ezifanayo zisukela eminyakeni edlule (kufaka phakathi ngaphansi kongqongqoshe bangaphambilini) futhi zenqatshwa noma zamiswa ngaphambilini.

Kungani ukwehluleka kokuphoqelela umthetho kubaluleke kakhulu kunenombolo

Ukubona kwakho mayelana nogu lolwandle lwaseThekwini ngezimpelasonto kuyisibonelo esicacile semingcele yangempela. Ukuphuza utshwala esidlangalaleni okubonakalayo, abantu abaphuza bese behamba ngemoto, kanye nokungenelela okulinganiselwe noma okungasebenzi kahle yiziphathimandla kuyizindlela ezinde ezindaweni eziningi zokuzijabulisa nezokuzijabulisa ezinobungozi obukhulu. Izibalo zokuboshwa zibonisa ukuthi imisebenzi iyenzeka (kufaka phakathi imizamo yangempelasonto eqondiwe e-KZN ethola abashayeli abaningi), kodwa ukuziphatha kuyaqhubeka obala. Lokhu kukhomba ukunganele kokuba khona okuqhubekayo, ukubeka izinto eziza kuqala, izinsiza, noma intando—hhayi ukuntuleka kwamathuluzi asemthethweni ngaphansi komkhawulo wamanje ongu-0.05.

Ukushintsha umkhawulo akukhulisi ngokuzenzakalelayo inani lamaphoyisa emgwaqweni, kuthuthukise ikhwalithi yemishini yokuhlola eceleni komgwaqo kanye nezinqubo, kusheshise ukucutshungulwa kwegazi ngamasampula egazi, kunciphise ukusilela emuva kwenkantolo, noma kuqinisekise ukushushiswa okuqhubekayo kanye nezijeziso ezinengqondo. Empeleni, amazwe amaningi anciphise imikhawulo ye-BAC (kufaka phakathi cishe ku-zero noma ku-zero) abone izinzuzo eziqhubekayo kuphela lapho ushintsho luhambisana nokuhlolwa kokuphefumula okungahleliwe okubonakalayo okuphezulu, imikhankaso yabezindaba, kanye nokulandelela okuthembekile. Lapho ukuphoqelelwa kubuthakathaka noma kungalingani, ushintsho lwezinombolo luvame ukukhiqiza imiphumela elinganiselwe noma yesikhashana. Ubufakazi obunye bamazwe ngamazwe buxubile: ukunciphisa kusuka emikhawulweni ephezulu (isb., 0.08 kuya ku-0.05) kuye kwahlotshaniswa nokwehla okulinganiselwe kwezingozi ezihlobene notshwala ezindaweni eziningana, kodwa ukuqhubekela phambili ku-zero akuzange kuhlale kulethe izinzuzo ezinkulu ezengeziwe futhi, okungenani esifundweni esisodwa semithetho yokungabekezeleli lutho, akubonisanga ukunciphisa okucacile kokufa kanye nokwanda kwezinye izindlela zokulimala.

Umkhawulo ongu-zero, ngokombono, ungenza kube lula ukuthumela imiyalezo (“noma yiluphi utshwala aluvumelekile”) futhi ususe indawo engwevu yokuthi “ingakanani evumelekile.” Kungase kuvimbele abanye abaphuza utshwala obulinganiselayo okwamanje abahlala ngaphansi kuka-0.05. Kodwa kubashayeli abadakiwe kakhulu—labo abahlotshaniswa kakhulu nezingozi ezinkulu—umkhawulo okhona usudlulile kakhulu, ngakho-ke umkhawulo wokubopha uhlala ukutholwa kanye nomphumela, hhayi umkhawulo ngokwawo.

Amaphoyisa kanye nokwethembeka kwezikhungo

Izigameko zokuboshwa kwe-SAPS kanye nezinye izikhulu ngokwazo ngokushayela ziphuzile (kufaka phakathi ukufundwa izikhathi eziningana ngaphezu komkhawulo, ngezinye izikhathi okubandakanya izimoto zikahulumeni) zibikwa njalo futhi ziqeda ukwethenjwa komphakathi. Izibonelo ezivela e-KZN nakwezinye izindawo zibonisa izikhulu phakathi kwalabo abamiswa ezivimbelweni zomgwaqo. Amaphethini abanzi okungaziphathi kahle, ukubambezeleka noma ukungapheleli kwesiyalo sangaphakathi, kanye namazinga aphansi okugwetshwa kwezinye izimo kwenza kube nzima ukuqonda ukuthi imithetho isetshenziswa ngokungalingani. Lapho bona kanye abantu abanikezwe umsebenzi wokuphoqelela umthetho bebonakala bephula imithetho efanayo, umkhawulo obhaliwe oqinile uye wehlisa ubuqiniso kanye nomphumela osebenzayo. Ukungabekezeleli umphakathi ngenkathi izindinganiso zangaphakathi zisetshenziswa ngokungaguquki cishe ngeke kushintshe ukuziphatha ngezinga.

Imithi, ingxube yokukhwehlela, kanye nokukhathazeka “ngobugebengu bokugula”

Lena inkinga engokoqobo efanelekile. Ama-syrup amaningi okukhwehlela athengiswa ngaphandle kwemithi kanye nawama-syrups endabuko, izingxube zomkhuhlane/umkhuhlane, ama-tonic, kanye nemikhiqizo efanayo etholakala eNingizimu Afrika aqukethe i-ethanol ebalulekile (ngokomlando kusukela kumaphesenti ambalwa kuya kwentsha ephezulu noma ngaphezulu kwezinye izinhlobo; abakhiqizi kanye nosokhemisi bayakuqaphela lokhu). Ngisho nemithamo emincane ingaveza ukufundwa kwe-BAC okubonakalayo, ikakhulukazi ngokushesha ngemva kokuwathatha. Amacala okubekezelela ukungabi bikho kwemithi emsebenzini asevele eveze izimpikiswano “zokuvikela ingxube yokukhwehlela”, futhi ukushayela ngaphansi komkhawulo we-zero wangempela kungaphakamisa inkinga efanayo kabanzi.

Isilinganiso esiqinile se-zero siyingozi ekubambeni abantu abathathe imithi esemthethweni yokugula, ikakhulukazi uma ukuhlolwa kubucayi futhi kungekho ukukhululwa okucacile komthetho noma ukuzivikela okusebenzayo kotshwala bezokwelapha. Lokhu kungaholela ekushushisweni okungafanele, ukuvikela ngokweqile kwezinye izindlela ezingenalo utshwala (lapho zitholakala khona), noma abantu abagwema ukwelashwa okudingekayo ngaphambi kokushayela. Ukubhala kahle kuzodingeka kubhekane nemingcele yokulinganisa “yanoma yikuphi ukugxilisa ingqondo,” izindinganiso zobufakazi, kanye nokungafaneleki kwezokwelapha; ngaphandle kwalokho, umthetho uba oqondile futhi ongase ube ongalungile. Amanani alandelayo avela kweminye imithombo (izinto zokugeza umlomo, ukudla okuthile, njll.) nawo angadala amacala abucayi.

Ukuma kanye nesikhathi sezepolitiki

Umkhankaso ovuselelwe ngo-2026 uhambisana nemiyalezo eqhubekayo yokuphepha emgwaqweni futhi kwenzeka ngaphansi kokukhathazeka okukhulu komphakathi mayelana nokufa kwabantu emigwaqweni. Izinguqulo zangaphambilini zeziphakamiso zokungabekezeleli nhlobo zamiswa. Ukusibeka njengesinyathelo esinqumayo nesicacile kunenani lezepolitiki—kusho ukuqina kwenkinga yomphakathi ebonakalayo. Ukuthi ngabe ngokuyinhloko isimo esihlobene nokhetho kuncike ekhalendeni lezepolitiki elibanzi nokuthi inqubo yesishayamthetho ilandelwa ngokungathi sína kangakanani ngale kwezimemezelo. Iqiniso lokuthi ukuvumelana kweKhabhinethi kuhloswe ekupheleni kuka-2026, njengoba kusadingeka izinyathelo ezengeziwe zephalamende, kusho ukuthi ushintsho olubonakalayo alusheshi. Ukumemezela imithetho eqinile ngaphandle kokutshalwa kwezimali okufanayo emandleni okuqinisekisa, ukuzibophezela kwamaphoyisa, ukuhlola ingqalasizinda, kanye nezinye izindlela zokuhamba zomphakathi kuyingozi yokuba uphawu olungaphezu kolubonakalayo.

Yini engasiza ngempela

Ubufakazi kanye nokubona okusebenzayo kukhomba iphakheji kunokushintsha kwenombolo eyodwa:

Ukugcinwa komthetho okuqhubekayo nokubonakalayo okuphezulu kugxile ezikhathini nasezindaweni ezaziwayo ezinobungozi obukhulu (izimpelasonto, amabhishi, imihubhe yokuzijabulisa, imigwaqo emikhulu ngemva kwemicimbi), kanye nokuhlolwa kokuphefumula okungahleliwe lapho kungenzeka khona ngokomthetho nangokusebenza.
Imishini ethembekile, ukushintshwa kwecala ngokushesha, kanye nokubambezeleka okuncishisiwe kwenkantolo ukuze ukuboshwa kuphenduke imiphumela.
Umthwalo wemfanelo wangaphakathi oqinile wamaphoyisa kanye namaphoyisa omgwaqo, okuhlanganisa nokuphathwa ngokusobala kwamacala okushayela i-DUI ahilela wona.
Izinyathelo ezengeziwe: ezokuthutha zomphakathi ezingcono kanye nezinketho zokugibela ezindaweni zokuzilibazisa, imfundo eqondiwe, izindawo zokuxhuma utshwala kubantu abenza ubugebengu obuphindaphindayo, kanye nokubhekana nezici ezibanzi (ukwakheka komgwaqo, ukuphepha kwabahamba ngezinyawo, isimo sezimoto).
Ukubhala ngokucophelela noma yimuphi umkhawulo we-zero ukuze kuphathwe utshwala bezokwelapha futhi kugwenywe ukwenza ukwelashwa kwezifo okuvamile kube yicala.

Ukwehlisa noma ukususa umkhawulo osemthethweni kungaba yinto eyodwa yesu elibalulekile, futhi ulwazi lwamazwe ngamazwe lubonisa ukuthi ukwehliswa kwe-BAC kungaba nomthelela lapho ukuphoqelelwa kungokoqobo. Esimweni saseNingizimu Afrika osichazayo—ukuphuza nokushayela ngempelasonto evulekile ezindaweni ezifana nogu lolwandle lwaseThekwini, ukuphoqelelwa okungaphelele kwemithetho yamanje, kanye namacala aqoshiwe ezikhulu ezishayela zingasebenzi kahle—umkhawulo ongu-zero ngokwawo ushintsha umthetho ngaphezu kweqiniso elikhona. Ngaphandle kokubhekana namandla, ukuhambisana, kanye nokwethembeka kokuphoqelelwa, kuyingozi kakhulu ukuhlala usesimweni esihle. Izinkinga ezijulile zamandla kahulumeni, ukubeka phambili, kanye nesiko lokuthobela imithetho kuzonquma imiphumela kakhulu kunokuba inombolo ephepheni ingu-0.05 noma u-0.00.