Mpumalanga’s festive season road fatalities drop by 23.8%
The Minister of Transport recently released 2022's preliminary festive season travelling statistics. Here is how Mpumalanga fared.
Mpumalanga’s 2022 festive season’s preliminary statistics of road fatalities have dropped by 23.8%.
The Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, announced this at the Grasmere Toll Plaza in Gauteng today, January 17. He said Mpumalanga has dropped from 189 deaths recorded in the 2021 festive season to 144.
Most fatalities were recorded during the weeks of December 15 to 21 and 22 to 28.
“This year’s festive season was characterised by a sequence of long weekends, which contributed to increased traffic on the roads,” Mbalula said. “We must draw lessons from provinces that achieved a reduction of more than 20% and ensure that the best practice model is replicated in all of them.”
ALSO READ: Two suspects arrested in connection with murder of councillor and two others in Mkhondo
He also touched on the issue of heavy vehicles and trucks that have become a stubborn phenomenon on roads, particularly the N2 from Mpumalanga towards KwaZulu-Natal.
“We are determined to up the game in ensuring that the law bites, and those who continue to undermine it will face its full might. We have committed to deploy technology as an additional intervention to strengthen law enforcement and make our roads safer,” he said.
ALSO READ: Suspect arrested after a farmer killed at Badfontein outside Lydenburg
Mbalula said efforts of visible policing at hazardous locations will continue to be a priority, especially at accident-prone times.
