EC road deaths up this festive season
THE death toll on Eastern Cape roads has climbed to 319 since the beginning of the festive season, with 240 killed after Christmas.
The deaths occurred between December 7 and New Year’s Day.
This is an increase of 41 road accident deaths compared with the period from December 1 2015 to January 5 last year.
Most of the fatal accidents occurred in the Chris Hani district, where 139 people lost their lives.
This is according to statistics provided to the Daily Dispatch by provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo yesterday.
The Dispatch reported last Wednesday that only 79 people had been killed on Eastern Cape roads.
This means that 240 people have died in less than a week.
Authorities have identified alcohol and reckless driving as major contributors to the road carnage.
The 79 people killed by Christmas on provincial roads was a huge reduction compared with the same period last year, when 278 people were killed on Eastern Cape roads, provincial traffic department deputy director Charles Bramwell said.
The Joe Gqabi district recorded the second-highest number of fatalities with 76.
The Alfred Nzo district had 42 road accident deaths while 38 died in Sarah Baartman district.
In Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, 19 people died in car accidents.
In the latest accident in Buffalo City Metro, five people died on New Year’s Eve when a BMW collided with an Opel Corsa.
Vulindlela Police are investigating a culpable homicide case after alcohol was found on the scene.
The BMW had been travelling towards East London and the Corsa towards King William’s Town on the N2 freeway.
Police suspect drinking and driving over the speed limit may have contributed to causing the accident as alcohol was found at the scene of accident.
The accident is believed to have happened after 2am.
Kupelo said all four people in the Opel were declared dead at the scene.
He said two of the four were men and the two others were women.
The driver of the BMW survived the accident with serious injuries and was rushed to hospital. —