#EasterTraffic – Heavy congestion expected on the R71 and N1 Southbound

POLOKWANE – Motorists travelling on the R71, R81 as well as the N1 Southbound have been urged to drive safely and exercise patience as traffic volumes increase out of the province.

#BakwenaN1N4 #PlanYourJourney Busy conditions expected along the route today from mid morning till evening. Please drive safely. pic.twitter.com/oajfxWcnF0

— Bakwena Platinum (@BakwenaN1N4) April 22, 2019

This, after the province, saw an influx of visitors over the Easter weekend, especially those travelling to Moria for the annual Zion Christian Church pilgrimage.

Read more: More than 500 motorists arrested since the start of the Easter weekend

The MEC for Transport and Community Safety in Limpopo, Makoma Makhurupetje says traffic volumes will continue to increase throughout the morning and the department is expecting volumes to decrease from this afternoon.

“Motorists using the R71, R81, and N1 Southbound, we plead with you to continue to exercise maximum patience and caution and to drive in a manner that allows other motorists to be safe too,” she pleaded.

While the MEC pleads for road safety, she has also commended provincial traffic officers for a job well done as she says they have worked tirelessly over the past weekend. “They have indeed heeded our call that Limpopo is a zero-tolerance zone, having made arrests for drunk and reckless driving respectively,” she added.

MEC Makhurupetje says by Sunday, 21 April, more than 30 motorists were arrested for drunk driving and more than 20 for reckless driving. 

As the N1 is notorious for accidents and fatalities, the MEC says while one life is too many, the department is happy to see a decline in fatalities on the road as compared to last year’s Easter deaths. “Achieving a reduction in fatalities and crashes on the province’s roads is a proud moment for us. Our road safety campaigns that we constantly run have yielded positive results,” she concluded.

raeesak@nmgroup.co.za