MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Florence Radzilani, has welcomed the announcement of the 8.4% decline in road fatalities in Limpopo for the 2023/24 festive period, as published by the Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga.
A reported 181 fatalities were reported in 2023/24, as compared to 196 fatalities, for the same period in 2022/23.
The MEC has however, registered a concern that, amongst the people who perished on the road, 10 are innocent children, ‘whose lives were cut short, in the most painful way imaginable’.
“For the period under review, the Government has deployed a comprehensive intergovernmental approach towards road safety, where road safety operations were conducted in conjunction with the South African Police Service and other sector Departments like Health, Correctional Services and Home Affairs,” said Radzilani
Radzilani has attributed this decline in road fatalities to the numerous initiatives which were implemented by the department. Of the 62 accidents that involved pedestrians, 30 had been recorded as ‘hit and runs’, where motorists opted not to stop.
“Visible policing and intensified speed and road safety operations remain the most critical road safety methods. There is a worrying increase of pedestrian fatalities, which are suspected to be related to drunk jaywalkers, as the incidents normally happen when pedestrians cross the road, from taverns and shebeens,” added Radzilani
The MEC has called upon members of the public to help the Police with information that might lead to the arrest of the motorists in these incidents.