Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Jackie Macie has once again reminded motorists travelling back after the Easter long weekend to drive with caution amid rising road fatalities in the province since Thursday.

In a statement by the MEC yesterday, it was reported that the province had recorded 18 deaths in various crashes that occurred between Thursday and Saturday. More than half of these fatalities were reported in the Nkangala District.

However, shortly after the number of fatalities was confirmed as 18, Middelburg Observer reported that one more person had died in a collision about 10km outside Belfast on the Stoffberg road last night.

According to reports, the vehicle was travelling in the direction of Belfast and the truck towards Stoffberg when the collision occurred. The driver of the vehicle died at the scene, and the truck driver sustained injuries.

In other fatal crashes on the province’s roads, six people were killed in a head-on collision on the N4 toll road between Machadodorp and Belfast at Berg-en-Dal on Thursday. Five people died on the scene, while the sixth succumbed to injuries in hospital.

Two people also lost their lives and 13 others were injured when the taxi they were travelling in overturned after its driver lost control on the N4 toll road near Middelburg.

Three more lives – including that of a toddler – were claimed on the R35 between Bethal and Middelburg in a collision involving a multipurpose vehicle (MPV) and an articulated truck.

Macie says most of these deadly collisions could have been avoided had motorists heeded calls to adhere to the rules. He believes that if all road users prioritise their own safety and that of others, deadly crashes would be drastically reduced.

He calls on public transport operators to ensure the roadworthiness of their vehicles and to rest every two hours or after driving 200km.

“We are pleading with every driver to ensure that they use the road cautiously. People must stop overtaking dangerously and driving with excessive speed so that they can safely reach their destinations.”

• Traffic law enforcement officers have stopped and checked over 13 500 vehicles since Thursday in various ongoing Easter operations across the province.
• Over 5 000 vehicles passed through various weighbridges.
• About 2 700 summonses were issued to motorists for various offences.

Macie lauds the arrest of more than 100 suspects for drinking and driving. He says it is important to clamp down on drinking and driving, considering the devastating consequences road crashes bring to many families.

He urges law enforcement officers to remain relentless in their quest to enforce the law and bring reckless and negligent drivers to book.

Also read: Heavy Easter traffic expected on N1 and other Limpopo routes today

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