‘Speeding and reckless driving’ leads to 12 deaths on Limpopo roads – Dept
Most of the road fatalities reported over the past weekend were in the Vhembe and Mopani districts.
LIMPOPO – The increase in road fatalities over the past weekend has been contributed to speeding and reckless driving. According to a statement issued by the Department of Transport a total of 12 people died on the provincial roads since Friday, 13 November.
On Friday, 13 November four people died when two vehicles collided head-on along the R36 road to Lefara. “The driver and three passengers in the sedan were killed, while two others sustained serious injuries,” reads a statement on Traffic Policing Affairs Limpopo.
Mike Maringa, Media Liaison Officer for the department, says three people died in three separate incidents, two in Mopani and one in the Vhembe district. “The driver of sedan died after the vehicle overturned at Makhoxa village in Giyani. In a separate incident a 55-year-old man lost his life when a minibus overturned along the R524 road in Muledane. In the last incident a male driver died after he reportedly lost control of his vehicle and overturned near the Seloane and Elland Road intersection in Phalaborwa.”
On Sunday, 15 November, one person lost their life in a head-on collision between a SUV and a bakkie along the R81 near Sekgopo. “Two other people were seriously injured,” said Maringa.
Four others died in two separate incidents along the N1 and D3716 roads.
“Two people died after a driver of a bakkie reportedly lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a wall in the Makwarela township. The driver, as well as another passengers were injured. In the N1 incident, two people died after two sedans collided head-on outside Louis Trichardt. Both drivers were declared dead on the scene.”
Preliminary investigations revealed driving under the influence of alcohol as the possible cause of the N1 incident, Maringa added.
The number of fatalities has increased as compared to the three deaths recorded the previous weekend.
Transport and Community Safety MEC, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya is appealing to motorists to adhere to the rules of the road. “The increase in deaths is concerning as we head towards the festive season. Motorists are reminded that the province is a zero-tolerance zone and anyone caught disobeying the rules will be arrested.”
