UPDATE – The cost of driving drunk
A year later, Terence Pillay looks back on the tragic incident in which a popular Durban blogger died after being run over by a drunk driver. Has justice been served?
Listen to the full podcast or read the blog below:
It coming up to exactly a year since social media influencer Andy Carrie lost his life after a drunk driver knocked him off his bike. Carrie was just 28 years old and the tragic incident shocked the local community in which he was quite popular.
When I first reported on the matter, witnesses alleged that the suspect had tried to flee the scene but was stopped by a few other witnesses until the police got there and arrested him. Whether this is true or not is irrelevant. The fact is, a young man had lost his life at the hands of a drunk driver.
South Africa has one of the highest vehicle accident rates in the world. And according to a report I read recently, it would appear that there are around fifteen thousand fatalities every year.
Read: The cost of drunk driving
The country also has more drunk-driving related deaths than anywhere else in the world. This is according to the latest Global Status report on Road Safety for 2015, from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Given these shocking statistics, you would think that both the police and the justice system would work a little more swiftly to ensure that these suspects are brought to book. It’s been a year since the Carrie incident occurred and while there have been numerous court appearances, the trial is only set for January 2018. Why has it taken this long for any movement on this case?
As a journalist, and a lay person at best, I have investigated stories and got to the bottom of them in less time than it has taken these trained professional crime fighters to interview witnesses, investigate leads and take statements from key people in this case. Is this why so many suspects walk away from the consequences of criminal actions in this country?
For example, in the case that has become known as the “bridge lawyer” case in which a former lawyer ploughed into another car, drunk, and killing a number of people, the incident occurred in 2011 and he was only sentenced in 2014. It took three years to tie up this case. Why do these investigations and trials take so long? And what happens with the families of the victims while the police and justice are dragging their heels? Should their pain be dragged on for years and years? Is this not abusive?
I will be keeping a close watch on this case and bring you regular updates when the trial begins.
You can email Terence Pillay at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter: @terencepillay1 and tweet him your thoughts on this story.