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'Shock' end to name 'n shame

Lead SA says the stopping of the name and shame campaign against convicted drunk drivers in the Western Cape "has come as a shock”.

In a letter to justice minister Jeff Radebe, Western Cape MEC of transport and public works, Robin Carlisle, said: “Alcohol is reasserting its primacy as a cause of death on the Western Cape's roads. I therefore must bring to your attention that your department's recent inexplicable action is directly contributing to the unnecessary deaths of, and injury to, South African road users.”

'FAILED TO DELIVER'

Lead SA said Radebe gave a public promise early in 2012 to roll out the name-and-shame campaign nationally before the end of that year. “He failed to deliver on this promise and now we hear that the Western Cape names are no longer being made available by the courts because of an "administrative change" to the justice department's procedures, the purpose of which is unclear.”

Lead SA said the latest developments were “unacceptable”. “We need the campaign to be run nationally. From the Western Cape project it is clear that naming and shaming was having an effect.”

Caro Smit from citizens' group South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD) also strongly condemned the end of the campaign.

“SADD is extremely disappointed that the Department of Justice has stopped both SADD and the Western Cape Department of Transport from naming and shaming convicted drunk drivers,” she said. “Alcohol abuse on the roads is costing the country about R195-billion ayear as well as costing families untold hardship both emotionally and financially.”

Robin Carlisle has scheduled a media conference for later today (June 13). He will brief media on the shutting down of the Name and Shame campaign and “the disastrous effects that it’s having on road deaths in the Province.”

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