Minister of Transport, Blade Nzimande, says 1612 road fatalities were recorded during the festive season last year, which is an increase from 1286 in 2017.
Announcing the road death toll in Pretoria, Nzimande says reckless and negligent driving as well as drinking and driving are one of the main contributors to the increasing number of deaths on the roads.
He says Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape recorded the highest percentage increase in fatalities.
“A comparison of this year’s statistics with the same period last year shows that Northern Cape, Free State and Eastern Cape recorded the highest percentage increase. This resulted in an 80% increase in the Northern Cape; the Free State increased by 28% and the Eastern Cape recorded a 22% increase from 195 to 238 fatalities. Gauteng recorded a commendable 19% decrease while the North West recorded a 2% decrease,” says Nzimande.
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