Tracker SA data reveals if SA motorists are staying home amid the lockdown

Data reveals that South African vehicle activity had already dropped by up to 20% before the lockdown.

(FILES) In this file photograph taken on November 15, 2015, motorists drive under a MTN billboard across the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Lagos. Nigeria’s central bank has on August 30, 2018, ordered South African telecoms giant MTN to refund USD8.13 billion (6.96 billion euros) that it allegedly illegally repatriated and fined four banks involved in the transfger. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said in a statement late August 29, that MTN had not obtained approval before transfering the funds, and the banks had breached foreign exchange rules by failing to verify if the company had met all the requirements. / AFP PHOTO / Pius Utomi EKPEI

Tracker SA has revealed whether South African motorists have heeded the call from President Cyril Ramaphosa to stay at home for 21 days in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus.

According to insights collected using Tracker’s vehicle tracking data and analytics from Lightstone indicate that most South Africans were doing their bit to “flatten the curve”.

“Nationally, South African vehicle activity had already dropped by up to 20% before the lockdown, relative to the corresponding day in early March. Vehicle activity has subsequently plummeted by 75% since the implementation of the lockdown,” reads a report by Tracker SA.

Gauteng and the Western Cape demonstrated the highest compliance, with vehicle activity reduced by between 75% and 80% in the first two days of the lockdown.

The report further revealed that the highest compliance from taxis and buses was observed in KwaZulu-Natal, with a 76% reduction in vehicle movement, while the highest reduction in the movement of commercial vehicles was observed in Gauteng at 73%.

“Drilling down to a town level in the two most compliant provinces, Sandton in Gauteng and Durbanville, Franschhoek and Noordhoek in the Western Cape show a greater than 90% reduction in vehicle movement.”

Khayelitsha and Gugulethu in the Western Cape recorded a reduction in vehicle activity of less than 50%, with Blue Downs in the Western Cape, Soweto and Katlehong having reduced their vehicle activity by between 60% and 70%.

“The significant decline in vehicle movement during the first three days of confinement followed a slight increase in passenger vehicle activity in the two days prior. This increase in vehicle movement is likely due to citizens shopping in preparation for being confined to their homes with many having been paid on the 25^th, as observed by the reports of lengthy queues and sold out stock at stores in the days before lockdown,” explained the report.

Head of data for Lightstone, Linda Reid, commented: “It is important to note that not all areas will be able to curtail movement to exactly the same extent. Some areas are more likely to have, as their residents, greater numbers of people who are still travelling as essential services workers.”

See the graphs from Tracker SA below: