By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says despite a high volume of traffic expected, the fatalities and crashes are showing a significant decrease in all provinces except for Mumalanga.
Creecy released the preliminary Easter Weekend data and she was joined by her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, on the N1 Kranskop Toll Plaza.
Monday marks the end of the long Easter weekend, with traffic volumes expected to surge on major routes.
The number of road fatalities over Easter weekend in 2024 was 335 – up 33 percent from 252 the previous year – while fatal crashes increased 14 percent from 207 to 236, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
Preliminary data shows a significant drop in both crashes and fatalities across all provinces – except Mpumalanga.
“Our statistics of crashes and fatalities are still undergoing quality assurance and verifications, and early indications are that our safety campaign is holding strong, and the public has responded positively to our messages.”
Creecy applauded police officers for clamping down on criminality and ensuring road safety during the long weekend.
Creecy indicated that the complete Easter road statistics are not yet available as they are still undergoing quality assurance and verification.
“I don’t want to issue statistics at this stage. I would prefer to issue them once the Easter weekend is concluded because I don’t want to jinx the very good record that we have had so far.”
She said, the Eastern Cape has the highest number of motorists caught driving under the influence of alcohol during the Easter weekend.
So far, around 500 intoxicated motorists have been arrested since the start of the long weekend.
In the past few weeks, several horrific crashes allegedly involving drunk drivers have shaken the country.
In Gqeberha, one student died and 10 were injured, some seriously, after a taxi driver crashed into a group of people on the Nelson Mandela University campus. The driver was charged with culpable homicide, reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.
In Mpumalanga, at least 18 people lost their lives in multiple road crashes between 17 and 19 April.
More than half of the fatalities occurred in the Nkangala District.
Among the most serious incidents, six people were killed on Thursday afternoon in a head-on collision on the N4 toll road between Machadodorp and Belfast.
Five people died on the scene, while a sixth succumbed to injuries in hospital.
In another tragic crash on the same route near Middelburg, two people died and 13 others were injured when a mini-bus taxi overturned after the driver reportedly lost control.
Three lives were lost on the R35 between Bethal and Middelburg in a collision involving a multipurpose vehicle (MPV) and an articulated truck.
A total of 26 people have thus far died in Gauteng and the Western Cape, authorities said.
In Limpopo, two suspects were arrested in Polokwane for attempting to bribe National Traffic Police officers in an effort to avoid being charged with drunk driving.
Meanwhile the N3 Toll Concession has warned motorists to expect heavy traffic along the N3 southbound and northbound direction towards Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
The concession’s Chief Operator, Thania Dhoogra, says motorists can expect peak traffic from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday.
Dhoogra reminded motorists that law enforcement and other road incident management teams will be deployed to maintain a highly visible presence all along the N3 toll.
She added that law enforcement will inspect vehicle roadworthiness and conduct driver compliance checks.
“They will also be closely monitoring traffic conditions and may implement traffic control measures should it be necessary to do so,” said Dhoogra.
She advised motorists to follow the instructions of law enforcement officials and report any emergencies while traveling on the N3 route between Cedera in KZN and Heidelberg in Gauteng.