Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, together with the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, and Premier Panyaza Lesufi launched the 2025 Gauteng festive season road safety campaign on December 4 in Diepsloot, Johannesburg.

Under the theme ‘E Thoma Ka Wena! It Starts With You’, the department stated that the campaign places strong emphasis on pedestrian safety, responsible road behaviour, and intensified enforcement during the busy holiday travel period.

According to the provincial road department, Gauteng continues to experience a rapid rise in mobility, with the province now home to 5.5 million registered vehicles.

Diale-Tlabela warned that the rise is likely to increase congestion and place additional pressure on law-enforcement officers, especially during peak travel times. The MEC said that the reality is that more vehicles and more movement mean higher risk.

“Behind every fatal crash is a family in pain. This festive season, we are calling on every road user to make safer choices.”

At the launch, she expressed deep concern over the province’s pedestrian fatality burden. The department shared that over half of Gauteng’s road deaths involve pedestrians, with numbers rising during the Festive Season. She added that this is not just a statistic but a crisis.

“We are enhancing visibility, enforcing speed limits, and ramping up awareness in high-risk areas because too many lives are being lost on foot.”

Diale-Tlabela also urged motorists that are planning long-distance trips to avoid night-time travel, noting that most fatal crashes occur after sunset.

She added that recent heavy rains have damaged several roads across the province, reducing visibility and increasing crash risks.

“We advise road users to travel during daylight where possible and to slow down on wet or damaged surfaces. Your safety is in your hands,” said the MEC.

As part of the campaign, law-enforcement teams will conduct intensive multidisciplinary operations, targeting:
• Drunk driving
• Speeding
• Reckless and negligent driving
• Unroadworthy vehicles
• Overloading
• Pedestrian violations
• Public transport compliance

The department said that the road maintenance teams will also be on standby to respond to hazardous road conditions and storm-related damages throughout the festive period.

“If you break the law, you will be stopped, checked, and held accountable. Our priority is simple: every person must arrive home safely.”

The provincial government has called on communities, public transport operators, pedestrians, and motorists to work together to reduce crashes and save lives.