CIFAL Durban
15 June 2026, Johannesburg, South Africa – UNITAR and its International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders (CIFAL) Durban in collaboration with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), the Durban Metro Police Service (DMPS) and the eThekwini Municipal Institute of Learning (MILE) delivered a Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for 50 senior JMPD officials in the Tracing Unit, Training Division, Community Outreach Unit, and Road Safety Unit aiming to advance road safety initiatives and promote responsible driving behaviour across the City of Johannesburg.
The ToT workshop took place on 10 June at the JMPD Academy and introduced participants to the Autosobriety Training Programme Prevent Drink-Driving, its learning objectives and learning modules. The overall goal of this ToT workshop is to rollout the Autosobriety Training Programme to 4,500 JMPD officers, significantly expanding its reach and creating a lasting impact on law enforcement capacity and public road safety awareness.
Training sessions addressed the following key areas:
- Road traffic injury statistics and risk factors in South Africa
- Physiological effects of alcohol on the human body and driving performance
- Legal framework governing drink-driving and blood alcohol concentration limits
- Practical strategies for preventing impaired driving and promoting responsible road use
- The use of virtual reality to educate young drivers about the impact of alcohol on driving performance
Sessions were facilitated by experts from CIFAL Durban, the Durban Metro Police, and JMPD combining evidence-based presentations, interactive discussions and question-and-answer sessions. The multidisciplinary approach equipped participants with the knowledge, practical skills, and educational tools needed to become effective road safety ambassadors within their organizations and communities.
CIFAL Durban
Session key takeaways:
- Coordinated response across the entire justice value chain—from arrest and evidence collection to prosecution and adjudication
- Regulatory reforms to complement ongoing education and awareness initiatives and contribute to a more effective and integrated approach to reducing alcohol-related road crashes
- Complement education and public awareness initiatives by prioritizing re-establishing municipal courts to expedite adjudication of traffic-related offences including drink-driving cases to improve turn-around times, enhance accountability, strengthen deterrent effects of law enforcement and reinforce public confidence that drink-driving offenders will be held accountable
UNITAR’s ToT workshop in Johannesburg aims to create a multiplier effect by equipping participants with the knowledge and facilitation skills to educate colleagues, schools, workplaces, community organizations, and local road users, while facilitating the exchange of best practices between Johannesburg and Durban Metro Police Units – Ms. Estrella Merlos, Global Head, Road Safety, UNITAR
Together, through education, awareness, and collective action, we can build a future where every journey is a safe one and where responsible choices behind the wheel become the norm rather than the exception – Professor Mpilo Ngubane, Director, CIFAL Durban
Related Links
CIFAL Durban: CIFAL Durban | UNITAR