MEC Vusi Shongwe lays down the law
No skorokoros, overloading, speeding, drunk driving and dangerous overtaking will be tolerated on the roads during the Easter weekend.
This was the stern message by the MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Vusi Shongwe, as he laid down the rules just days before the Easter holidays.
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“We are certainly going to set up roadblocks in all major roads in the province, paying more attention to the N4 leading to Mozambique and the N17 leading to eSwatini.
“We all know during this time of the year our roads get congested which leads to accidents, and to avoid this we have decided to tighten our operations. We will be tougher,” said Shongwe.
During the festive period in 2020, the province recorded a 15,9 per cent increase in road accidents with 73 fatalities compared to the 63 in 2019.
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“Last year’s numbers depict a very sad picture, and this is totally unacceptable. It shows that motorists are not complying to the rules of the road. To help strengthen and enforce the law, our traffic officials and members of the SAPS will be deployed throughout the province, and they have been given all the power to arrest anyone found on the wrong side of the law,” continued Shongwe.
He said besides this operation, the police will be deployed in townships to enforce Covid-19 compliance, especially in shopping outlets.
“I have been observing with disgust the manner in which our people carry on as if Covid-19 doesn’t exist anymore. We are going to conduct random and surprise visits to outlets such as taverns and shebeens, and we will shut down those found not complying with regulations,” warned Shongwe.
