Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says there has been a spike in crashes with multiple fatalities. Seventeen motor vehicle crashes were recorded this year, compared to seven over the same period in 2020.
Mbalula has added that despite the grim statistics, thousands of road users continue to respect the law and obey the rules of the road. He was speaking at a briefing held on the R80 Mabopane highway, north of Pretoria.
The R80 Mabopane highway was jam-packed as law enforcement agencies embarked on a campaign drive to promote safer road usage.
But the campaign has already been marred by major crashes, which have seen fatalities increasing from 34 last year in the first three weeks of December, to 111 this year over the same period.
“Statistics have revealed that people who died on our roads this year were passengers at 35% followed by pedestrians at 34% – drivers at 26% and motorcyclists at 1% and bicycle riders at 1%. The vehicle types that had the most contribution to fatal crashes were minibusses. light delivery vehicles and trucks. Most fatal crashes happen during the early hours of the morning and early evening,” says Mbalula.
He adds that the human factor remains the cause of most of the crashes.
On motor vehicle licence renewals, the Minister has warned motorists to comply with traffic regulations or face consequences.
“The only thing we’re dealing with between now – last year and March next year in terms of extension is the driver’s license backlog in the country, not the vehicles and we’ve always urged people to go and renew their vehicle discs and they’re not doing that. We urge all motorists to go and renew their discs because it’s important for them or otherwise they’re going to face consequences.”
More than 710 000 vehicles were stopped and checked during the first half of the campaign and over 1 800 vehicles have been impounded.
Mbalula says law enforcement officers will continue to ensure a safer festive period. He has however indicated that the responsibility for safety rests with all road users.
