SA records reduction in festive season fatalities
Mbalula said the majority of those who died were pedestrians at 39%, followed by passengers at 34%, drivers at 26% and cyclists at 1%.
SOUTH Africa has seen a 30% reduction in road fatalities since the start of the festive season, says Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.
The reduction in fatalities is from 1 December to 22 December 2019.
Addressing a media briefing on the 2019/20 mid-festive season road safety statistics at the Beitbridge border post in Musina, Limpopo, Mbalula on Monday said 589 people had died on the roads.
All provinces recorded a reduction in fatalities, with Gauteng reducing fatalities from 133 last year to 95, while KwaZulu-Natal went down from 172 to 135.
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Mbalula said the majority of those who died were pedestrians at 39%, followed by passengers at 34%, drivers at 26% and cyclists at 1%.
“We will intensify our efforts on pedestrian and passenger fatalities by ramping up policing inside suburbs, townships and villages. Law enforcement operations focusing on drunken driving and the wearing of seatbelts will also be increased,” he said.
A total of 489 fatal crashes have been recorded, which is a 25% decrease compared to 656 fatal crashes recorded over the same period last year.
Since the beginning of the festive season campaign, a total of 629 661 vehicles were stopped in 539 roadblocks staged nationwide.
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This resulted in 231 937 traffic fines being issued to motorists for various transgressions of the law.
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