KZN Easter road deaths down
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has lauded the marginal decrease in the number of road fatalities in the province during the last Easter weekend.
WHILE the decrease in the number of crashes and lives lost was a good sign, Mr Mchunu said he was still very concerned that these numbers remained high.
“With fatalities standing at 30, we lost six fewer lives than last year when we lost 36 people in 35 crashes. This is not acceptable, because one life lost is one too many. While we are beginning to see fruits of our Operation Valingozi road safety campaign messages, we should be concerned that some motorists still drive under the influence of alcohol and blatantly ignore road traffic rules,” he said.
During the last weekend, 30 316 vehicles were stopped across the province for compliance checks by multi-disciplinary law enforcement officers. At least 145 vehicles were impounded for various defects, and scores of drivers were arrested for excessive speed, with one caught driving at 206 kmph in a 120 kmph zone. Other offenses included drinking and driving, not wearing seat belts, inconsiderate driving, and drivers without licences.” The focus was particularly on the long distance public transport operators and heavy motor vehicles, Mr Mchunu added.
