The MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Florence Radzilani, announced a decrease of 20.8% in road deaths on Limpopo's roads over the 2022 festive season. This followed the national release of festive-season statistics by Minister Fikile Mbalula on Tuesday, 17 January. National statistics showed a huge improvement and progress.
Radzilani used the opportunity, on behalf of the Limpopo Provincial Government, to send heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of road accidents on the roads.
During a media briefing on Wednesday, Radzilani indicated that this reduction was not a small feat by any stretch of the imagination and said her department would continue to institute measures and mechanisms to ensure that Limpopo roads were always safe. Of the 179 lives lost on provincial roads, 40 of them perished in the Waterberg District, 45 in Capricorn, 30 in Mopani, 25 in Sekhukhune and 39 in Vhembe.
Radzilani raised her concern about Mopani District, which is surprisingly accounting for more accidents on the roads for the second year running. She said the department would focus on road-safety campaigns in the Mopani District to change the situation around. However, in terms of fatalities, the Waterberg District had more carnage than any other part of the province.
"Last year's figure stood at 216 during the festive season. We are encouraged by the 20.8% decrease in fatalities, and this gives us hope as we forge ahead with our programmes of ensuring road safety during peak periods," Radzilani said.
Of the 179 deaths recorded on the roads during this festive period, 60 of them were pedestrians. Fatalities normally occur after hours, during weekends, and the majority of these victims could have been drunk, said Radzilani. She thanked the cooperation by municipalities, the SAPS, the newly formed Border Management Agency, the Department of Home Affairs and Correctional Services, the Trucking Association of South Africa, SANTACO, Road Traffic Management Cooperation and many others for ensuring safety on the roads.