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- During the festive season (1 December to 11 January) the Western Cape recorded 164 road fatalities, up from 131 the previous year.
- Municipal roads accounted for 108 fatalities, a significant increase from 68 in the previous year.
- MEC for Mobility says "our behaviour" on the roads is still deeply problematic.
More than 160 deaths were recorded on Western Cape roads during the festive season.
On Wednesday, MEC for Mobility Ricardo Mackenzie released the provincial festive season road safety statistics, which cover the period 1 December 2023 to 11 January.
The statistics reveal that traffic fatalities increased to 164 compared to 131 in the previous year. The figures for the province are made up of fatalities recorded on provincial roads and municipal roads.
On municipal roads, there were 108 deaths, up from 68 last year.
As for provincial roads, 56 fatalities were recorded, compared to 63 over the 2022/23 festive season.
Mackenzie said that while they welcomed this 11% decrease in fatalities on provincial roads, one road death was already one too many.
"The reality is that our behaviour on the roads in South Africa is still deeply problematic and it has a devastating impact on our society," he stressed.
Mackenzie added that despite significant road safety efforts, they have a long way to go to turn the tide on poor road user behaviour.
Provincial traffic officers stopped and checked 271 698 vehicles, issued almost 90 000 fines for various traffic violations, made 576 arrests for drunk driving and 64 arrests for reckless and negligent driving, and removed about 1 000 unroadworthy vehicles from the roads.
READ | More than 1 400 people died on South Africa's roads during the festive season
According to the Department of Mobility, for the first time in years, festive season road crashes occurred at all hours of the day instead of mostly at night.
"This concerning trend reiterates the need for an effective 24/7 law enforcement service, which our provincial traffic services currently deliver. Their visible deployment on all major routes in the province creates a continuous and omnipresent safety force for our residents and visitors. Our impact is boosted through partnering, which I saw for myself while visiting the teams on the ground," the MEC said.
Other statistics over the festive season include:
- 12 arrests for bribery.
- 4 512 fines issued for tyre defects.
- Five arrests for fraudulent documentation.
- 13 781 seatbelt offences – for drivers and front and rear passengers.
- 13 860 unlicensed vehicles.
- Four arrests of pedestrians who were a source of danger on the road.
Mackenzie said he was concerned about the continuing vulnerability of pedestrians, who accounted for over 50% of all fatalities.
"Furthermore, 22 of these pedestrian deaths were 'hit-and-runs'. It is the responsibility of the driver to report such an incident, even if they are unable to stop due to safety concerns," he said.
