Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe calls on motorists to be more vigilant on roads especially during the busy period of Easter weekend.

“We have in the past experienced a huge number of road crashes due to the high volume of traffic during this period and we need to work together with all road users to ensure that this scourge is eliminated,” says Shongwe.

Last year during the Easter weekend, 89 accidents took the lives of 20 people and left hundreds of them injured in the province.

“This period is usually characterized by a huge increase on road fatalities and it is time that we ensure that it does not happen again. We have enhanced our plans and our law enforcement operations and road safety campaigns have started which form part of the Easter Road Safety Campaign that was launched recently in Bushbuckridge.

“We will not have mercy to motorists who will be found breaking the law. In order for us to win this battle, we need to be tough on law breakers, this will send a strong message to other motorists that we are very serious about road safety,” says Shongwe.

Last week only 15 motorists were arrested for speeding and another one for driving under the influence of alcohol. A total 5 232 fines were also issued to motorists for different traffic violations while 229 vehicles were impounded and 104 discontinued.