More fatalities recorded on Mpumalanga’s roads this festive season
Mpumalanga has recorded 189 fatalities as compared to the 142 that were recorded during the same period last year (2020).
The festive season was between December 1 and January 11 and during that period about 427 people sustained serious injuries. While during the same period in the 2021 holidays there were 329 people who were seriously injured in crashes across the province.
The MEC for the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Vusi Shongwe, said the report on the festive season crashes, fatalities and injuries clearly indicates that we still have a long way towards making our roads safer.
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“We remain committed to achieving that goal and that is why we are calling on all our traffic law enforcement and the police officials to remain undeterred in their quest to pursue recklessness and negligent drivers on our roads. We also commend all the drivers who continue to use the road cautiously, had it not been for them, the situation could have been worse.” The department said for the period under review, most of the fatalities were as a result of head-on collisions. The province recorded about 41 head-on collisions and about 48 people were fatally wounded as compared to last year’s 19 fatalities. About 37 pedestrians were also killed as compared to last year’s 41.
Other crash types that resulted in deaths, serious and slight injuries include sideswipes, vehicles losing control and overturning among others. Some of the roads that contributed with the greatest number of fatal crashes include the N4, R573, R38, R544, R23, R40, N2 and some identified municipal roads. “One death is one too many, that is why these figures should not discourage, but should spur us on to work even harder to drastically reduce loss of lives resulting from crashes on our road. This means we must tighten and redouble our efforts towards making our roads safer. On the other hand, we applaud our traffic officers and all law enforcement agencies for the work that they did during the holiday season.
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“At least 30 106 fines were issued to motorists for different violations during the period under review. Traffic officers were deployed to conduct operations in identified routes to ensure safety and compliance on the rules. Over 160 000 vehicles were stopped and checked during the operations. About 74 647 cars were went through various weighbridges across the province. Out of the 30 106 fines that were also issued, 776 were for overloading goods and 360 for overloading passengers.
“Summonses were also issued for offences ranging from excessive speeding, driving without proper or valid documentation, driving a vehicle that is without proper or valid documentation, overtaking on a barrier line, violating road traffic signs, stopping on the freeway to use a cellphone while driving. Other motorists were brought to book for driving cars with defects such as broken windscreens, wipers, brakes, side and rear retro reflective markings, worn-out tyres, malfunctioning direction indicators and lights, and illegal number plates. Over and above this, 663 vehicles were discontinued and this includes heavy motor vehicles, minibus taxis, light delivery vehicles, motorcycles and sedans. A total of 684 cars were also impounded, and out of these 668 were heavy motor vehicles.
“Meanwhile, 93 motorists were arrested, of whom 70 had warrants that were executed for them and the others for different violations such as driving under the influence of alcohol, exceeding the speed limit, reckless and negligence driving, driving without operating permits and driving with false documentation.
“We once more extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends who lost their loved ones during the holidays, we also wish all those who are injured a speedy recovery,” said Shongwe.
