A quiet Christmas long weekend with no fatalities on Gauteng roads – EMS services

Traffic and emergency rescue officials have said the Christmas weekend was quiet in terms of accidents on the roads.

Netcare 911 spokesperson, Shawn Herbst said most callouts over the weekend were for Covid and and Covid-19 related illnesses.

Herbst estimated that the number of accidents on the roads over the weekend stood at 40, with no record of any fatal accidents.

Ekurhuleni EMS’ William Ndladi said the weekend was quiet up until Monday morning when an accident took place at Sebenza near Edenvale where a taxi and truck were involved in a head-on collision on Grader Street.

The drivers and one passenger each for the two vehicles were critically injured and rushed to hospital, Ndladi said.

Meanwhile, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has said three Mpumalanga traffic officers were arrested for bribery and corruption.

ALSO READ: Over 1300 people arrested over Christmas weekend, including 100 for drunk driving

RTMC’s chief communications officer, Simon Zwane said the traffic officers were arrested in Mpumalanga during a joint operation conducted by its National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit and the Hawks.

The traffic officers are stationed at Emalahleni municipality.

“It is alleged that the officers aged 59, 53 and 38 accepted bribes from motorists instead of charging them for traffic violations. They are expected to appear in court later today,” Zwane said.

More than 3000 motorists have been arrested throughout the country for violating traffic regulation since the start of December, Zwane added.

“The majority of suspects, 1328 or 43%, were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. A total of 496 or 16% were arrested for driving speeds above the legal limit.

“The highest number of drunk drivers were caught in Gauteng and Limpopo where 372 and 342 arrests were made respectively. The National Traffic Police arrested 352 motorists in the different provinces where it is deployed.

“The highest number of arrests for speed were made in the Free State province where 323 motorists were caught. The highest speed recorded was on the N1 near Ventersburg where a motorist was caught driving at 242 kilometers an hour in a 120-kilometer zone.

“Some of the common offenses noticed so far involve people driving without driver’s licenses, producing false documentation, reckless and negligent driving, over of goods and operating public transport contrary to the terms and condition of operating permits.

“Law enforcement authorities are now moving their focus into residential areas to curb lawlessness and prevent collisions involving pedestrians.

“Enforcement will be intensified ahead of and during the News Year’s Day long weekend. Officers are preparing themselves for increased traffic volumes expected at the end of the festive season holidays.”

ALSO READ: Border backlog at Beitbridge finally cleared

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.