Large numbers of traffic expected over the coming weekend

MBOMBELA – Traffic on the major highways and provincial roads will increase exponentially this weekend as most holiday goers will return home after spending the Christmas holidays in Mpumalanga and Mozambique.
According to Mr Joseph Mabuza, provincial spokesman for community safety, security and liaison, road users should take heed of this fact in order to plan for a safe trip home.
“We are expecting a lot of traffic on Friday (January 2) especially across the border from Mozambique,” he said.
Ms Solange Soares-Nicholson, spokesman for TRAC (Trans African Concessions), mentioned a large number of road users would be travelling on the N4 on Sunday (January 4).
“We are expecting a constant flow of vehicles at toll gates, especially at Middelburg Plaza – from 10:00 to 22:00 – when migrant workers and tourists will be making their way back home,” she said.
Mabuza added there had been no serious incidents on Mpumalanga over the past three days and he hoped this trend would continue for the duration of the holiday period.
“There will be a number of stop and check points on the R40, N4, R23 and other major roads in the province to check the road worthiness of vehicles and whether the laws of the roads are adhered to.
 The new licence vehicle tracking system will also be in use to detect road users who have not paid any outstanding traffic fines.
“They will be pulled from the road and offenders are advised to pay their fines if they don’t want to suffer embarrassment,” Mabuza said.
*The exact number of vehicles that have travelled through the toll gates still have to be calculated.