Breathalyser suspended in Gauteng

Drunk drivers caught in Gauteng recently could be off the hook after the breathalyser device used to test them was suspended, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Monday.

"The Dräger machine has been suspended in Gauteng for the past two weeks due to a certification problem," spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said.

"We have also withdrawn all drunken driving cases which had not yet started that relied solely on the machine's readings."

Mhaga said the NPA was still in talks with authorities in other provinces about use of the breathalyser. If these talks resulted in the suspension of the breathalyser, it could mean the end of the state's case against ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu. Mthembu was arrested in Cape Town last Thursday, allegedly for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was only tested with the Dräger device.

Gauteng for now could only use blood analysis as evidence in court for drunken driving cases, he said.

Johannesburg Metro Police Department Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said there was nothing wrong with the devices.

"All the machines need to comply with the country's standards is the SABS stamp and we hope they would be functional soon. For now we only use the breathalyser for screening before taking the driver for a blood test."

The Road Traffic Act governs drunk driving prosecutions, and the machines have to comply with national standards.

The Star newspaper quoted Dräger product manager for breathalyser equipment Chris Vertue saying a change in prosecutorial guidelines had caused the machines to fall outside the necessary certification. There were no defects with the machines.

Vertue said the company was waiting for the relevant paperwork from Germany before sending the machines to be re-certified. This could take several months.

Sapa