LIMPOPO RECORDS A HUGE DECREASE IN ROAD FATALITIES DURUNG 2022 FESTIVE PERIOD
18 January 29023
MEC of Transport and Community Safety Florence Radzilani announced a decrease of 20.8% road deaths on Limpopo roads for the 2022 Festive season. This followed the national release of Festive Season statistics by Minister Fikile Mbalula on Tuesday, 17 January 2023. National statistics showed a huge improvement and progress.
MEC 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 the media briefing she indicated that this reduction is not a small feat, by any stretch of the imagination, and said her Department will continue to institute measures and mechanisms to ensure that Limpopo roads are always safe. Of the 179 lives that were lost on the Provincial Roads, 40 of them perished in the Waterberg District, 45 in Capricorn, 30 in Mopani, 25 in Sekhukhune and 39 in Vhembe.
MEC 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 will focus on Road Safety Campaigns in the Mopani District to change the situation around.
But in terms of fatalities, the Waterberg District had more carnages than any other part of the province.
‘Last year’s figure stood at 216 during festive season. We are encouraged by the 20.8% decrease in fatalities, and this gives us hope, as we chant forward with our programmes of ensuring road safety, during peak periods’ – said MEC Florence Radzilani.
Of the 179 deaths, recorded on the roads during this Festive Period, 60 of them were pedestrians.These normally happens after hours, during weekends, and it confirms our suspicions that the majority of these victims, could have been drunk.
MEC 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.