Mbabane — Menzi Khumalo, 40, from Mpolonjeni, was fined 5,000 emalangeni for drunk driving following his arrest on 17 November 2025 near TEBA. He was driving a Toyota Yaris sedan when police detected a strong smell of alcohol and conducted a breathalyser test.
The test revealed a blood alcohol content of 1.13 mg/l, nearly three times above the legal limit of 0.38 mg/l under the Road Traffic Act No. 6 of 2007. Khumalo admitted in court that he had consumed alcohol despite knowing the dangers, explaining that he had been emotionally distressed after a close friend’s recent suicide.
“I regret it deeply,” Khumalo stated in court, expressing his remorse. “I know it is wrong to drive after drinking, especially on a public road used by many. I also have school-going children who have pending school fees. I’m like an unemployed person as my work is not permanent. I’m pleading for a lenient sentence.”
Drunk driving continues to pose a severe threat to road safety in Eswatini. Despite Principal Magistrates consistently issuing stern rulings including revocation of drivers’ licences, incidents of drunk driving have continued to rise, suggesting that existing measures may not be enough to deter irresponsible behaviour behind the wheel.
After taking Khumalo’s mitigation factors into consideration and noting that he fully complied with police officers during the arrest, he was sentenced to pay a fine of E5,000, failing which he will serve two years’ imprisonment.
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