News24 | Soldier, cop and pastor arrested for drunk driving in KZN roadblock

A roadblock by the transport department in KwaZulu-Natal led to 41 motorists being arrested for drunk driving on Friday night, including a pastor, a soldier, and a cop.

• A roadblock by the transport department in KwaZulu-Natal led to 41 motorists being arrested for drunk driving on Friday night, including a pastor, a soldier, and a cop.
• The department has set up roadblock operations since August 2025, which led to 3 700 drunk driving arrests.
• From December 2025 to January 2026, the operation stopped over 160 000 vehicles, charged 20 868 motorists, and impounded 376 taxis.

A pastor, a soldier and a cop were part of the 41 motorists arrested for drunk driving in an operation in Durban on Friday night.

The SA National Defence Force soldier even came up with an elaborate lie to try to avoid arrest, claiming he was a mechanic fixing aeroplanes at the Old Durban Airport.

KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Siboniso Duma said the man had been arrested by the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) unit “very late” in the night.

This is part of the #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation, meaning “what are you doing here” in isiZulu throughout the province.

The operation is an effort to keep roads safe and remove reckless drivers in numerous towns by checking vehicles, arresting drunk drivers, and stopping illegal activities. This is done through roadblocks, speed traps, helicopter surveillance, and collaboration with police.

Friday night’s operation in Umlazi netted a pastor, hairdresser, librarian, Uber driver, police detective, police member, metro police officer, and the SANDF soldier who lied about fixing aeroplanes.

Another notable character caught on camera was an allegedly intoxicated man who tried to flee the roadblock in Umlazi.

According to Duma, the man began reversing when approaching the roadblock, and almost caused an accident. He was apprehended and taken into custody after a dramatic but brief chase.

In Estcourt, the MEC noted that there was an increase in drunk female drivers among the 23 motorists arrested on Friday night.

Some of those arrests there included a mechanic from the Department of Transport, an Expanded Public Works Programme driver from a local municipality, a teacher, a store manager, and a risk manager.

Duma said around 3 700 motorists had been arrested for drunk driving since 1 August 2025.

“All in all, we achieved an 18% decrease in fatalities. This is because we targeted drunk driving. Nurses and doctors reported a massive decrease in admissions related to road accidents. The people of KwaZulu-Natal across all racial lines are in support of our operation,” he added.

Duma said that the RTI had worked with the National Traffic Police, Road Traffic Management Corporation, SAPS and Traffic Departments in various municipalities in December.

“We thank them for augmenting [our] operation. We achieved a decrease in fatalities and crashes,” he concluded in a statement on Saturday.

From 1 December 2025 to 11 January 2026, the #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation achievements include: