Sadly, videos of on-duty cops under the influence of alcohol are becoming commonplace in South Africa.

Take a trip back to November, for example, when a SAPS officer in Wolmaransstad in the North West, was so hammered that he couldn’t stand. 

The latest videos to do the rounds come via Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, where a traffic officer was allegedly spotted wandering around Swembad shopping centre, completely plastered.

The videos were captured by witnesses on the scene who then posted them to social media

Observe, his supposedly drunken mission through what looks like a hardware store:

#Drunk A drunk traffic officer on duty in full uniform. Lydenburg, Mpumalanga. Just Another day in South Africa.. @BOSBEER2006 @1SecondLater @MARIUSBROODRYK @News24 @SAPoliceService @MpumalangaGov @Dotransport @MbalulaFikile pic.twitter.com/UselB0feoc

— BOSBEER.COM (@BOSBEER2006) March 11, 2021

Yeah, he’s not looking too good:

#Drunk A drunk traffic officer on duty in full uniform. Lydenburg, Mpumalanga. Just Another day in South Africa.. @BOSBEER2006 @1SecondLater @MARIUSBROODRYK @News24 @SAPoliceService @MpumalangaGov @Dotransport @MbalulaFikile pic.twitter.com/o5NsmpclTi

— SA emergency reports (@MARIUSBROODRYK) March 11, 2021

Another video, shot after the above incident, allegedly shows traffic officers drinking together:

11/03/2021
LYDENBURG MPUMALANGA
TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT#UnderInfluenceOnDuty
VIDEO FOOTAGE 1 pic.twitter.com/L6QwkpObpv

— RIOT & ATTACK info South Africa (@RiotAndAttackSA) March 11, 2021

So far it looks like nobody in law enforcement has weighed in on the issue with any sort of statement, although The South African did stumble upon a word or two from Werner Weber, the FF Plus’ Provincial Leader in Mpumalanga.

“The relevant traffic officer’s conduct is in contravention of his civil responsibility and he should be suspended pending the findings of the investigation and if he is found guilty, decisive action must be taken against him. It is a shame that the public is expected to adhere to the traffic rules and regulations, while the officers violate the law.”

He makes a decent point.

Stricter rules are on the cards for drivers, with the National Road Traffic Amendment Bill, which if passed, would introduce a total prohibition of alcohol use for all drivers on South African roads.

Unless you’re an actual traffic officer, in which case the rules clearly don’t apply.

[source:southafrican]