Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has revealed that there have been 719 road fatalities in the country since 1 December. This is less than 32 deaths from the same period last year, which was 751, leading to a 4.3% decline in fatalities. Chikunga said this in Villiers, Free State, where she was releasing the preliminary festive road season statistics.
“Gauteng has recorded 187 fatalities which is a 23.8% increase compared to last year, KwaZulu-Natal 135 fatalities which is 6.3% decrease compared to last year, Limpopo 88 fatalities which is the same as the previous year, Mpumalanga 81 fatalities which is a 6.6% compared to last year, Western Cape 76 fatalities which is 1.3% decrease compared to last year, Eastern Cape 59 fatalities which is 41.05 decrease compared to last year, Free State 49 fatalities which is 7.0% decrease compared to last year, North West 37 fatalities which is 17.8% decrease compared to last year, and Northern Cape 16 fatalities which is 49.7% decrease compared to last year,” revealed Chikunga.
The minister highlighted that most of the accidents is because of human behaviour, citing drunk driving and speeding. She expressed concern that there has been an increase in accidents that happen during the night and in the early morning hours.
According to the statistics, pedestrian fatalities continue to pose a daunting challenge as they remain a leading cause for the increased number of fatalities, followed by passengers and drivers.
“This has necessitated that we adjust our law enforcement deployment plans to pay more attention in residential areas and after-hour operations leading to early morning.
“Law enforcement operations will be intelligence-led, and directed at new emerging hotspots to deal with, among others, drunken driving, as well as reckless and negligent driving,” explained Chikunga.
According to the minister, there has been 423 roadblocks nationally in which 753 823 vehicles were stopped and checked, 173 307 infringement notices were issued, 1 333 vehicles discontinued, 2 619 vehicles impounded, 3 573 motorists arrested for various offenses and drunken driving accounted for 1 114 arrests.
