KZN Health department distances itself from employee arrested for drunk driving, fleeing from cops
A KZN Health Department employee was arrested for alleged drunk driving and for fleeing from traffic police.
Image: File
A KZN Health Department employee was arrested for alleged drunk driving and for fleeing from traffic police.
Image: File
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has moved to distance itself from an employee implicated in a serious road traffic incident, stressing that internal processes are already underway alongside a criminal investigation.
In a strongly worded media statement, the department said it had noted “with profound disturbance” the allegations against the employee, who was driving a departmental vehicle on the N2 highway at Ellingham, Park Rynie on December 21.
The KZN Transport department confirmed in a statement that the employee is facing charges including drunk driving, reckless and negligent driving, excessive speeding, fleeing from law enforcement, and the illegal possession of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.
The health department described the allegations as “an appalling breach of the law and of the trust placed in us as public servants,” underscoring that it views the matter with gravity.
It said, “We wish to state categorically that the Department does not take these allegations lightly; we deem them with the utmost seriousness.”
Emphasising its stance on public safety and the use of state resources, the department stated that it has “zero tolerance for any official who abuses state resources, endangers public safety, and brings the name of the Department into disrepute.”
It further noted that the alleged conduct, including “drinking while on duty or whilst driving the state vehicle,” is regarded as “an egregious violation of our code of conduct and public service regulations.”
While acknowledging that the criminal justice system will run its course, the department confirmed that it has already taken administrative steps. “While the criminal process is rightly underway, the Department has immediately launched a full internal investigation,” the statement said.
The vehicle involved has been impounded, and the department indicated that it is “in the process of securing its recovery.”
Looking ahead, the department assured the public that disciplinary consequences would follow if misconduct is established internally. “Should our internal processes find the official guilty of misconduct, he will face the full might of departmental disciplinary measures, in addition to any consequences from the criminal justice system,” it said.
The department concluded by reaffirming that it “remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and the rule of law.”