Transport Minister Creecy reports 18% drop in Easter road fatalities

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said 122 vehicles were discontinued for defects that rendered them unroadworthy, while 1 147 vehicles were impounded mainly for permit violations.

“This progress gives us hope as we start the Easter peak travel period,” Creecy said on Saturday. “The success was made possible by intensified law enforcement in all provinces. A total of 321 roadblocks were held during the period, with 374 161 vehicles stopped and checked.”

More than 500 drivers were arrested for drunk driving, 14 for speeding and 93 pedestrians were arrested for jaywalking on freeways.

Creecy said 291 road deaths had been recorded at the start of the long weekend – a significant decline from 356 during the same period in 2025.

Overall, six provinces recorded decreases in fatalities: Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West and the Eastern Cape.

“Preliminary statistics indicate that the number of fatal crashes during the period declined from 306 in the same period in 2025 to 255 this year, representing a 16.7% decrease,” Creecy said.

“The number of fatalities has been reduced from 356 to 291, which represents an 18.3% decrease.”

On Friday, Creecy launched the 2026 Arrive Alive Easter Road Safety campaign under the theme ‘It Begins With Me’.

High-risk routes identified by the minister include the N1, N2, N3 and N4, where authorities have increased both mobile and static checkpoints.

Across the country, 321 roadblocks were set up, with more than 374 000 vehicles stopped and inspected. More than 500 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence.

In KwaZulu-Natal, more than 2 582 motorists were charged with various traffic offences. Provincial transport MEC Siboniso Duma said 16 183 vehicles had been stopped for inspection between Thursday and Saturday.

More than 3 483 law enforcement officers, supported by 105 national traffic police officers, were deployed across the province for the Easter holidays.

During this period, 270 motorists were charged with driving under the influence, 150 vehicles were removed from the roads and 67 motorists were arrested.

Duma said the province had set a target of a 10% reduction in road fatalities over the Easter and Passover long weekend.

He said KwaZulu-Natal had recorded a 38% decrease in fatalities over Easter 2025, compared with 2024.

“We have deployed more than 3,483 law enforcement officers and 105 national traffic police officers, who will be operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until 3 May 2026,” Duma said.

In Johannesburg, metro police arrested 120 drunk drivers, while Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla reported two fatalities during the Easter weekend.

Bus company Putco said it had deployed 550 buses to ferry Christian pilgrims to the annual Zion Christian Church Easter gathering at Moria in Limpopo.

In the Eastern Cape, more than 10 people died on the roads, while provincial transport authorities said 150 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence.

Creecy said that more than 80% of road crashes were directly linked to human behaviour.

“We are calling on every driver, passenger and pedestrian to take ownership of their conduct on our shared roads,” she said.