Minister Carlisle: Killing of Five Joggers an "Appalling Crime"

Robin Carlisle, the Western Cape Minister for Transport, has called the killing of five joggers in Johannesburg on Saturday morning an "appalling crime".

"Saturday's shocking crash is a reminder of the worst kind that if you are over the limit and climb into your car, or speed, you are a killer in waiting. Anyone who is irresponsible enough to drink and drive could have killed those five people," Minister Carlisle said."

An allegedly drunk Midrand motorist is reported to have lost control of his car, killing five runners on the Olifantsfontein Road, and critically injuring a sixth. The joggers were apparently training for the Soweto Marathon.

"These joggers, in the prime of their healthy lives, are amongst hundreds of sports men and women - cyclists, walkers and runners - who have been slaughtered on our roads by reckless motorists."

"Whilst I share Minister Ndebele's pain and outrage, recent history indicates that the accused will probably be found not guilty or given a laughable fine that he can pay off in instalments. Worse still is so-called 'house arrest', which is completely unenforced."

"We will never eliminate the drunken driving crisis until the criminal justice system guarantees truly appropriate penalties, including serious jail time, for drunken drivers and speeders who cut down innocents on the roads."

"For this to happen we need:

1. Police who are trained to analyse and manage crash scenes.
2. Thorough case investigations by experienced detectives.
3. Prosecutors able to hold their own against experienced defence lawyers.
4. Juridical recognition of appropriate instruments to determine drunkenness accurately and quickly."

"To my knowledge, in no recent case anywhere in the country have all these conditions been met. Indeed, in many cases, not one of them has been met."