Cape Town – ANC national executive committee member Tony Yengeni is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court today on drunk driving charges.

During his last appearance in January, the court heard that the director of public prosecutions (DPP) had communicated with the national director of public prosecutions and that the State was awaiting an outcome.

Yengeni was out on bail of R500. He has not yet pleaded to charges of drunk driving and reckless or negligent driving.

As an alternative to the drunk driving charge, Yengeni allegedly drove with a blood-alcohol level of 0.25%, five times the legal limit of 0.05. He was arrested in August 2013 after City of Cape Town law enforcement officials saw him allegedly driving his Maserati erratically in the Cape Town CBD.

In a statement issued after his arrest, the city’s safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith said Yengeni had been one of 52 people arrested during a weekend operation.

Smith alleged that at least one of Yengeni’s car number plates was missing at the time.

He said a screening device indicated Yengeni was substantially over the blood alcohol level.

For this reason, Yengeni was taken to the ‘shadow centre’ for a blood sample to be taken and sent for analysis.

In 2007, Yengeni was arrested in Goodwood, Cape Town, on a charge of drunk driving, but was found not guilty.

News24

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