MEC hails all stakeholders for joint efforts in achieving fewer road deaths: IT PAID OFF!
The zero-tolerance approach by traffic and police officials over the Easter weekend seemed to have paid off with a lower death toll on Limpopo roads and a high number of criminals who had to spend the weekend behind bars.
Over the years, Easter weekend has been notorious for high criminal activity and death tolls on the roads, however, this year was an exception.
Limpopo has heeded the call made by the minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, for road carnage to be reduced by 25%.
Going into this year’s Easter weekend, Transport MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya explained that the plan was to minimise operations to allow traffic to flow and heighten visibility to ensure compliance. With the involvement of National Traffic Officers from Road Traffic Management Corporation, the police and traffic officials, the plan yielded the desired results.
In the Easter of 2021, Limpopo recorded 34 fatalities from 61 crashes.
This year, that number was reduced by 14, with 20 fatalities reported from 55 serious crashes.
Mopani and Capricorn recorded the highest number of crashes last year with 20 and 13 respectively. This year, Waterberg and Vhembe recorded five each. Vhembe is the only district that recorded the deaths of pedestrians with seven deaths, with a difference of five compared to last year.
Capricorn saw an increase from four fatalities last year to five in 2022.
Waterberg fatalities decreased from five to four and Mopani recorded an increase from two to three fatalities. The MEC commended Sekhukhune for a reduction from nine fatalities last year to just one this year. She noted that 22 accidents were as a result of speed that led to drivers losing control of their vehicles and overturning.
The use of alcohol is an underlying factor in the numbers reported daily, she added.
“We are also seeing a change of attitude on public transport operators. Out of the 55 accidents reported, four of them were minibus taxis. We acknowledge the intervention by the Taxi Council and the bus industry.”
Eleven motorists whose levels were found to be above the allowed alcohol limit were arrested and this was from two operations along R71 and D19 roads on Friday evening.
Clamping down on criminals
A total of 1 632 persons were arrested during Easter weekend’s joint operations between April 10 and 17. The suspects were apprehended for offences such as
the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, possession and dealing in drugs and illicit cigarettes, murder, attempted murder, robberies, burglaries, theft of motor vehicles, contravention of the Road Traffic Act, sexual offences and stock theft.
During these operations that were held across the province, police confiscated nine firearms, a stolen motor vehicle, dangerous weapons, 2 379l of liquor, 270 925 sticks of illicit cigarettes, 69 548g of dagga and five dagga plants, 23 knives and 1 720 fines and compliance notices relating to the Road Traffic Act were issued. A total of 321 fines were issued for liquor-related offences and 21 shebeens were closed. Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe lauded the successes reached in these operations and thanked the community for their continued support in the fight against crime.