Traffic officials are on high alert across the country as holidaymakers travel home. Traffic volumes have increased on the N1 and N2 in Cape Town as well as other major routes around the country.
Western Cape traffic authorities say they are expecting high traffic volumes on the province’s roads to continue well into next week. This comes as the country prepares for the re-opening of schools in the New Year.
They say the province’s major routes are experiencing high traffic volumes as holidaymakers return to their homes.
18 000 cars passed through the Huguenot Tunnel on in Paarl on Saturday alone. The motorists say they are looking forward to a smooth journey back home.
‘Over 110 000 vehicles stopped’
The KwaZulu-Natal department of transport says more than 250 motorists have been arrested on the province’s roads since the start of the festive season.
Offences include drinking and driving, invalid driver’s licenses and driving un-roadworthy vehicles. Transport spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane says over 110 000 vehicles have been stopped.
“That is why we have got our traffic police all around the major route in the province because we are on very high alert considering that many people are leaving today. But this has been a trend since we’ve started the festive season we’ve increased visibility. Our integrated law enforcement strategy has been working it has been in full swing. We’ve stopped more than 110 000 vehicles since we started December to date. We’ve issued more than 98000fines in the province which is quite a serious issue about 260 drivers have been arrested for drinking and driving in the province.”
Traffic authorities around Musina and the Beitbridge port of entry in Limpopo say there are high traffic volumes at the border and on the N1. They are working with their Zimbabwean counterparts to release busses from the Zimbabwean side into South Africa.
Local traffic spokesperson, Comet Musina, says about 200 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested at the border post overnight trying to enter the country.
“We are having queues assisting small vehicles and we are also having queues assisting busses. Because a lot of busses are still at the border coming from Zim side; so we agreed with our colleagues from Zim trying to assist so that we have a smooth flow of traffic. Overnight one thousand vehicles were screened, 121 summons were issued and 205 illegal immigrants were arrested for trying to cross the border without necessary documents.”
Smooth traffic flow at Maseru border
No major incidents have been reported at the Maseru border post between South Africa and Lesotho. Officials at the border say the only minor hiccup experienced was the load shedding that affected the processing of people.
Traffic is running smoothly. Some travellers have mixed feelings.
“Traffic is fine. I’m going to Klerksdorp. Lesotho was fun,” says one traveller. Another one says “I’m not satisfied with the government of Lesotho they don’t want to give us work permits. They do whatever they want.”
Meanwhile, authorities from the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport have urged all motorists in the province to be vigilant and abide by the rules.
A spokesperson for the Department, Oshebeng Koonyaditse, says traffic officials have been deployed on all the major roads across the province.
“The Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, MEC Sello Lehari, is appealing to all who are on the way going back to their respective places after short holidays to be careful and patient when on the road. In the province, the roads that will be expected to be busy are N4, N12, N14, R18, R49, R30 and R503.”
SANTACO satisfied taxi drivers
Taxi organisation, SANTACO, in Limpopo, says it is satisfied with the manner in which taxi drivers are conducting themselves on the N1 between Polokwane and Pretoria.
Scores of taxis have been passing through the congested Nyl Plaza and Kranskop toll gates. A representative of SANTACO, Basie Mafalo, maintains that they have not received any reports of drivers who are disobeying traffic laws.
“We would like to appreciate the manner in which our taxi drivers are driving along N1 from Polokwane to Gauteng. Our drivers are complying with the rules and regulations of the road. Meanwhile, when we reached Nyl plaza there were a couple of the taxis that were shifted aside. We had a little bit of concern, but when we asked the traffic cops, they were just saying they want them to put them on one lane in order for them to speed up their journey. We have noticed that we are working collectively.”
