South Africa is looking at scrapping its current drink-driving legal limit, a move that would effectively introduce a zero-tolerance approach to alcohol and driving.
The country’s Department of Transport has confirmed plans to amend Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act, which currently allows drivers a blood alcohol limit of 0.05g per 10cl (with lower thresholds for professional drivers). Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said the existing framework, introduced nearly 30 years ago, is no longer fit for purpose and sends the wrong message by permitting any level of drinking before driving.
The proposal was announced alongside the release of the 2025/26 festive season road safety report. During the period, 173,695 drivers were tested for alcohol, with 8,561 returning positive results, a 144% increase year-on-year. Despite this, fatalities and crashes both fell by 5% compared with the previous festive season, marking the lowest number of crashes in five years.
If implemented, the policy shift would bring South Africa in line with a growing number of markets considering or enforcing zero-tolerance drink-driving laws, following the likes of Brazil, Czech, Indonesia and the UAE.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization once again called on governments around the world to significantly increase taxes on alcoholic beverages.
