Fifty-one lives have been lost on North West roads, as of Christmas Day since the beginning of the festive season.
According to the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, the fatalities were as a result of 72 crashes recorded in the province, with the majority of them happening between 18:00 and 00:00.
The department is however encouraged that the crashes are still less than the same period when compared to the past two years.
On Christmas Day in 2021 and 2022, there had been 147 and 118 crashes with 119 and 94 fatalities respectively.
The statistics reveal that there is a 17% reduction of fatalities compared to the same period last year.
Despite the reduction, the department’s MEC Sello Lehari urged all road users to be extra careful.
“We are not going to be tolerant of anyone who disobeys the regulations. One life lost is one too many and we are going to intensify our presence. The Eagles are going to be more on problematic routes. This doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be on other arterial routes like N4, N12 and all trunk routes. We plead with motorists to be patient,” said Lehari.
No major crashes have been reported in the province thus far. According to the Head of the Department, Dr Hans Kekana, the reduction of the fatalities could be attributed to joint law enforcement operations the MEC has been leading since October.
“Since the Transport Month (October) we have been having regular operations throughout the province and clearly this has worked for us.
“The MEC has been all over the province as part of Thuntsha Lerole accelerated service delivery programme and these operations will continue,” explained Dr Kekana.
Meanwhile, the department expressed concern about a shifting trend of more crashes taking place in rural roads and has directed that there be patrols on local roads.
The Ngaka Modiri Modiri Molema District Municipality has recorded 40 of the 72 crashes. The department said the joint law enforcement operations will continue until the middle of January 2024.
