MBABANE:Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, the eSwatini police Spokesperson says, the law enforcement institution has ran out of breathalyzers to test suspected drunk drivers when staging roadblocks.
A breathalyzer is a device used for measuring breath alcohol content on suspected drunk drivers.
Speaking to eSwatini TV on Wednesday, the police Spokesperson said, even though they no longer have working equipment, they will just arrest drunk drivers who smell alcohol or who were seen drinking before driving the car.
“We don’t have the breathalyzers but that does not mean we cannot arrest a driver who visibly drunk and smells alcohol”, said the Police Spokesperson.
Reached for comments by this Swaziland News on Thursday morning,Sivumelwano Nyembe,the Spokesperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholders Forum(MSF) said, State agencies must follow the law not short-cuts that might create chaos.
“It is important for State agencies to follow the law not shortcuts, if the police are facing shortage of working equipment, they must approach their employer.The lack of equipment and tools for civil service to provide public goods and services( eg. drugs in health, breathalyzer in the police, passports in home affairs) is a clear demonstration of the irrelevance of the Tinkhundla system. There is a need for the people of Swaziland to forge a new political system through a meaningful political dialogue said the MSF Spokesperson.
Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati.