By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has announced a five percent drop in both fatalities and crashes during the 2025/26 festive season compared to last year, with 1 427 lives lost in 1 172 deadly incidents across South Africa’s roads.
Creecy said the figures mark the lowest number of crashes in five years and the same number of fatalities as in the 2023/24 festive season.
She was briefing the media in Pretoria on the release of the Road Safety Report for the 2025 and 2026 festive season, joined by her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
The minister provided an update on the progress and preliminary results of the 2025/26 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign, as well as overall road safety outcomes for 2025.
“Preliminary data indicates a five percent reduction in both fatalities and crashes compared to the same period last year,” Creecy said.
Five provinces recorded reductions in fatalities, with the Eastern Cape and Free State achieving the highest percentage decreases.
However, Gauteng, Western Cape, Mpumalanga, and Northern Cape saw increases in road deaths.
Creecy said there was a spike in crashes and fatalities between 15 and 28 December, contributing to more than 40 percent of the season’s total.
“This confirms that festive season crashes increase once travellers have reached their destinations and are engaging in festivities, rather than during peak travel periods,” she said.
Most incidents occurred over weekends between 7pm and 9pm, and again between midnight and 1am.
They included collisions with pedestrians, hit-and-run incidents, single-vehicle overturns, and head-on collisions.
One speedster in the Northern Cape was clocked at 222 km/h in a 120 km/h zone, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest alcohol level – a driver 14 times over the legal limit.
Drunk driving saw a sharp rise in detections, with 173 695 drivers tested and 8 561 found positive, a 144 percent jump from last year.
Creecy praised the crackdown but noted it reveals how many still risk lives by getting behind the wheel after drinking.
In a bold move, she announced plans to amend Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act to scrap the current alcohol limit, pushing for a zero-tolerance policy where drinking and driving is outright banned.
Creecy thanked traffic officers, police, emergency workers, and partners from civil society, traditional leaders, and transport sectors for their tireless work.
She highlighted how these efforts are steering the country towards its goal of halving road deaths by 2030, but warned that without addressing root causes like reckless behaviour, the progress could stall.
Human factors remain the biggest culprit, responsible for over 80 percent of crashes. Speeding and alcohol top the list, often leading to devastating outcomes for families left behind.