Easter death toll triples as another long weekend looms
figures.
“In total the number of fatalities increased by 79 from 156 over the same period the previous year to 235 this year. However, this year’s fatalities are still significantly lower than the 333 fatalities recorded in 2015.
“Our preliminary report showed that many people who died on our roads were victims of hit-and-run incidents, jaywalking or motorists who were driving at speeds that were too high for circumstances,” said Maswanganyi.
He said that the Free State was the only province that had a lower number of deaths on the roads com- pared to the previous year.
“Free State recorded a 27 percent decline in fatalities from 11 fatalities in 2016 to only eight this year.”
Maswanganyi said that the results from other provinces were worrisome.
“The Northern Cape had an increase from four fatalities in 2016 to to11 this year, KwaZulu-Natal recorded an increase of 31 more fatalities. The number of people who died on KZN roads increased from 28 in 2016 to 59 this year. Gauteng increased from 24 in 2016 to 38 in 2017. In the Western Cape 22 fatalities were recorded this year which also saw an increase of eight more deaths compared to the 14 in 2016, and the North West had an increase from eight to 12,”
“The Eastern Cape recorded an increase of 24 fatalities in 2016 to 27 this year. Twenty-three fatalities were recorded in Limpopo in 2016 but that number increased to 30 this year and in Mpumalanga fatalities increased from 21 last year to 28 recorded this year.”
Maswanganyi added that more than 60 000 drivers were charged with various road offences during the Easter period.
“This Easter period 61 340 motorists were charged with various offences which included failing to wear seatbelts, use of cellphones while driving, speeding and overloading.
“More than 2 800 motorist were arrested for drunken driving, inconsiderate, reckless and negligent driving, possession of false documents and driving without licences and public driver’s permits.”
Maswanganyi stated that road users could assist government in saving billions of rands if they obeyed the rules of the road.
“The Road Accident Fund spends R33 billion annually on payments of claims. Those funds could be redirected to other government priorities which will go miles to address the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality, thereby assisting us to increase the pace to achieve radical socio-economic transformation,” he said.