WATCH | Have a little blood in your alcohol? Blade Nzimande's breathalyser has the answer

19 April 2019 - 15:20 By TimesLIVE
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Tweeps have been poking fun at transport minister Blade Nzimande after he misspoke during a television interview.
Tweeps have been poking fun at transport minister Blade Nzimande after he misspoke during a television interview.
Image: Gallo Images

South Africans have turned an otherwise serious message from Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande into a joke, after he misspoke on live television on Thursday.

The SABC was interviewing the minister as droves of travellers made their way across the country to their various holiday destinations for the Easter weekend. During the interview Nzimande made reference to a breathalyser which could tell in 10 minutes if there was blood in the alcohol of the person being tested.

While some tweeps were forgiving, some used this slip of the tongue as a moment  to poke a little fun at the minister.

Meanwhile, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) assured motorists on Wednesday that it was highly unlikely they would be arrested if alcohol was found in their system after they had eaten hot cross buns.

The message came after a video clip went viral on social media showing how hot cross buns, a firm favourite during Easter, could possibly affect the reading on a breathalyser machine.

The video showed a man sitting in an office, wearing a law-enforcement uniform. He was asked to blow into a breathalyser machine, which indicated he was sober.

The officer was then encouraged to tuck into a hot cross bun by a colleague. Two bites later, he blew into the breathalyser again and the machine produced a (false) positive reading.

“Guys, beware. This is dangerous,” the officer taking the video said, while the officer who had eaten the buns appeared stunned.

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said: “The corporation would like to assure members of the public that they will not be arrested unfairly after eating hot cross buns."


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