Traffic cops out to keep roads safe

Motorists are being warned against violating traffic laws this Easter as law enforcement officials intensify operations to ensure the country’s roads are safe.

“Roadblocks will be staged on all major routes and within residential areas to address deviant behaviour by those who think that long weekends are a licence to break the rules of the road,” Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga said.

Traffic volumes are expected to start increasing today from about 10am until midnight.

“On Friday, traffic volumes will start increasing early in the morning and will return to normal after 2pm. Return traffic will commence with worshippers from Moria City and other places of worship on Sunday.

“All other main routes are expected to be extremely busy throughout Monday. We appeal for motorists to stagger their travelling,” Chikunga said.

Addressing the 2024 Easter road safety campaign in Mpumalanga, the minister said government has set a target to reduce road fatalities by 15% this Easter.

“We have mapped the routes, sharpened our strategies and prepared our battle plan. With Gauteng being home to 40% of South Africa’s vehicle population, we expect a substantial number of motorists to leave Gauteng to different holiday destinations.

“The N1 towards Polokwane, especially the road to Moria City in Limpopo and to Beitbridge, will be heavily policed. The N3 to Durban and the N1 to the Free State and the Western Cape, and particularly Cape Town to the Eastern Cape, will be no exception.

“In Mpumalanga, on the N4, we expect heavy traffic, especially on stretches leading to border gates.”

She called on the religious community travelling to places of pilgrimage to ensure the buses and taxis they hire are roadworthy, have two drivers and permits to travel outside of their normal routes. –