Road safety: Call for caution as SA recovers from festive season

As many prepare to travel back home following the festive season break, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has called for increased road safety measures and caution on the country’s roads.

“As we head back to our places [of] work, I urge all South Africans driving on our roads to be on high alert and observe all the rules of the road,” said the minister on Monday.

Festive season road safety

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Mbalula called on all South Africans to “be responsible”.

He said in 2019, “human factors contributed 85% towards fatal crashes compared to 91% in 2018”.

Road safety tips

Mbalula advised motorists to do regular checks and maintenance on their vehicles. Before embarking on a long trip, drivers should check for the following:

• Petrol leaks
• Oil leaks
• Engine water
• Damages on tyres
• Wipers (specifically the rubber part)

Emalahleni mayor dies in car crash

The minister also expressed sadness at the passing away of Emalahleni Mayor Linah Malatjie and her husband Esau on Monday.

The mayor and her husband passed away in hospital following a head-on collision. The accident happened along the R544 road between Gemsbokspruit and Verena in Mpumalanga.

The accident also claimed the life of the driver of the second vehicle.

He sent his sincere condolences to the families of all those involved in the tragic accident and “to many who have lived through this terrible experience”.

“All these deaths are a shared national loss and yet more sad reminders to all of us to be more careful, more caring for each other and more responsible on the roads,” he said.

Collision in KZN

In an unrelated incident, Kwazulu-Natal Private Ambulance Service responded to reports of a collision on Monday evening on the R620 in Uvongo.

As reported by Arrive Alive, emergency services assessed the scene and “found a bakkie and vehicle had been involved in a collision”.

One patient sustained critical injuries and was treated on scene before being transported to hospital for further treatment.