The Eastern Cape Department of Transport has stepped up its operations to enforce traffic law and promote road safety as citizens prepare for the festive season rush.
Since the beginning of December, more than 20 000 vehicles were stopped and checked in the province.
“About 2 134 summons were issued, while 39 people were arrested for various offences, including drunken driving…. and 82 warrants of arrest [were issued],” the provincial department said.
MEC for Transport Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana said the province wants to ensure that all road users are safe.
“Irresponsible, reckless and negligent behaviour on the road is not acceptable and our officers will immediately deal with risky behaviour on our roads,” MEC Tikana said.
The festive season period is generally characterised by high traffic volumes on different routes in the Eastern Cape.
Apart from the industry shutdown and school holidays, the period is also characterised by religious pilgrimage and mass events. The provincial department has called on public transport operators and other motorists to refrain from overloading.
“We have noted a worrying trend in the both public transport (taxi) and sedans, where vehicles are overloaded and goods are loaded on the passenger compartment.
“This kind of behaviour increases the risk of fatal and serious injuries in the event of an accident,” MEC Tikana said.
Motorists are urged to make sure that their vehicles are roadworthy.
This year, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on a Monday, resulting in two consecutive long weekends.
“We expect an increase in traffic on those long weekends and we will be on high alert as the risk of road crashes increases. Our operations will intensify during both weekends,” she said.
Last year, the Eastern Cape recorded a 20% reduction in road fatalities, bringing the number down from 265 in 2015/16 to 211 in 2016/17. – SAnews.gov.za
