Facebook/KZN Department of Transport
Image: A picture of a man arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated seated on a couch, has garnered significant online traction.
In a turn of events that has intrigued the public, a peculiar couch apparently designated for intoxicated motorists has become a talking point on social media.
This comes after the KZN Department of Transport (DoT) shared pictures of motorists arrested for drunk driving during its Nenzani La Ezweni operations in Umhlanga Rocks and Durban North over the weekend.
On Friday, members of the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) arrested 27 motorists, including four females, during the operation in Umhlanga Rocks and Durban North.
On Saturday evening, 40 additional motorists were arrested in Durban North.
However, the picture of an arrested man slumped over a couch sparked conversation about its condition.
In response to the attention it received, the KZN DoT took to its Facebook page to respond.
They said many people complained about the couch instead of questioning the criteria RTI used to seat the man on it.
“The couch is designed for motorists who are too drunk and suffering from alcohol-induced hallucination. The couch is sprayed with a substance that calms the nerves of motorists who are too intoxicated and imagining things.”
The department said when a drunk motorist sat on that couch, they could choose to see themselves in Dubai or anywhere in the world.
“They do feel that way because of its calming effect.”
The department added that, “strangely” the person sitting on the couch had fainted five times after his arrest.
“Nobody saw him though. This means that he was imagining himself fainting. He subsequently indicated that he was going to faint in five minutes. We immediately directed him to seat (sit) on that magic couch so he could faint comfortably. I hope accusations about the bad condition of that couch will stop now. That condition is by design not by default and neglect.”