Six pedestrians killed in three separate incidents in Mpumalanga

Six pedestrians have been killed in three separate incidents in Mpumalanga since the beginning of the long weekend.

Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Pat Ngomane appeals to motorists to use the road with great caution to avoid any further loss of lives.

Two people were hit by two sedans simultaneously on the R40 Road between Barberton and Mbombela around 18h00 on Saturday. Two more people also lost their lives when they were hit on the R40 Road in Bushbuckridge last night.

Two more pedestrians perished in two separate hit and run accidents at Machadodorp and Belfast around 20h30 last night, both incidents occurred on the N4 Toll Road.

Although it is not clear what caused these accidents, it is suspected that some of the pedestrians may have consumed alcohol and jaywalked on the road. The police are still investigating the causes of these crashes.

Ngomane has reiterated his call to pedestrians to be visible at night so that motorists are able to see them from a distance. He encouraged pedestrians who consume alcohol to avoid busy roads and highways as this endangers their lives needlessly.

He also urged motorists to be on the lookout for pedestrians, especially at night and near busy areas, and to avoid driving at excessively high speed especially in areas where visibility is restricted.

Ngomane also called on all people who will be returning from the long weekend to use the road cautiously. He has also called on law enforcement officers to continue being zero-tolerant to those disregarding traffic rules and breaking the law unnecessarily.

“We must all work together to ensure that our roads are safe. Members of the public must also report any bad driving to authorities so that wrongdoers are brought to book,” he said.

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