NELSPRUIT – It was a surprisingly calm weekend as far as traffic incidents were concerned, despite the large volume of vehicles moving through the area.
In preparation for the heavy traffic, TRAC N4 shortened the Crocodile Gorge stop/go between Nelspruit and Malalane to 2,7km. The average waiting time peaked at 90 minutes and dropped to only 30 minutes on Saturday, Sunday and early Monday morning.
At the Lebombo Border Post, the queue was 8km long on Thursday evening despite the fact that travellers were being helped as fast as possible.
That night when traffic was at its heaviest, SAPS assisted in Crocodile Gorge to ensure smooth traffic flow. Van Wettens Breakdown Services was also on the scene to help tow away any vehicles that experienced problems.
The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport aided in the efforts to ensure a safe Easter weekend for everyone on the road.
On April 17 and 18, they impounded 176 transport vehicles, which included taxis, meter taxis and buses, for operating without an operating licence.
The vehicle owners were issued notices which stated that their vehicles would only be released after a fine from R2 000 to R2 500, depending on the offence, was paid.
The department urged all public transport operators to ensure they followed the rules of the road to avoid accidents and penalties resulting from transgressions. It also stated it would not tolerate transport operators who did not abide by the law and would ensure that all those who contravened the transport act faced the full might of the law.
By deadline on Monday, there had only been a handful of accidents on the N4, but no fatalities were reported. One of the more serious incidents was a bakkie that obstructed traffic on Sunday evening near Mara, after it had overturned. Paramedics found one of the occupants still inside the vehicle with moderate injuries. They freed him and later transported him to Rob Ferreira Hospital. The second occupant sustained light injuries but refused transportation to hospital.
On Monday morning, TRAC spokesman Ms Solange Soares, said that the relatively calm Easter weekend traffic was mostly due to the teamwork of a number of stakeholders such as the police, traffic police and paramedics. She stated that the public was exceptionally patient at the stop/go and obeyed regulations. “It was like they had prepared themselves for what was coming and went out of their way to cooperate,” she said.
Traffic volumes were expected to pick up at around 10:00 on Monday as travellers headed back home to Johannesburg from Mozambique.
