South Africa's Transport Department reports a decline in road fatalities during the festive season, but highlights a rise in reckless overtaking and drinking and driving. Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa urges drivers to exercise patience and avoid risky behaviors. The preliminary data shows promising reductions in crashes and deaths compared to last year.
The Transport Department's festive season preliminary road safety report indicates positive trends overall, with a 20.9% drop in fatal crashes and a 20.8% decrease in fatalities between December 1 and December 16. This brings the daily average of road fatalities down to 32, the lowest recorded in the past five years.
Despite these improvements, Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa has drawn attention to concerning behaviors observed by law enforcement. He noted an uptick in reckless overtaking, particularly in unsafe areas, alongside incidents of drinking and driving. Speaking on the matter, Hlengwa said, “Just this past weekend we were observing with the RTMC an area of concern is overtaking in areas where it is not safe to do so, which amongst others are resulting in major crashes.”
Hlengwa emphasized the need for responsible road use during the busy holiday period. “We are calling for patience on the part of all the drivers and road users. What we are seeing is that this risk is being played out rather recklessly and at a heightened level, and we are calling on people to desist from drinking and driving, to desist from jaywalking and not to overtake,” he added.
These warnings come as authorities intensify efforts to maintain safety on South African roads, building on the progress shown in the latest figures.
