Tomorrow we will release our official Mid Festive Season Report with comprehensive stats including traffic fatalities. But the extraordinary efforts of our uniformed men and women will likely get lost in amongst the carnage on our roads. I sincerely thank these Officers for working so tirelessly to keep everyone safe. I also expressly thank the thousands of motorists who are abiding by the rules of the road and are in the majority. Please keep it up!

As we head into another long weekend, I implore those who will be travelling to take a few extra minutes, and a little bit of extra effort and care to prepare for being safe on the road.

Check your vehicle and tyres, buckle up, do NOT drink and drive, do NOT speed or take chances overtaking dangerously, stop and rest when you are tired or every 200km.

Since the beginning of December, our Provincial Traffic Officers – working in collaboration with the South African Police Service and local authorities – have stopped and checked over 100,000, removing 360 unroadworthy vehicles from the roads in the process.

They have arrested over 200 people for driving under the influence of alcohol, ensuring that these hazardous drivers would not be able to continue their journey.

In addition, they have issued over 30,000 fines for various traffic violations ranging from driver to vehicle fitness. These fines are not just a punishment on a piece of paper, but an alert urging road users to change reckless and irresponsible behaviour.

During an integrated fatigue management operation on the N1, I observed how our Officers enforce mandatory rest and rehydration for drivers displaying signs of fatigue such as heightened blood pressure. These interventions are done with care and good humour while making sure that tired drivers are not endangering those around them, and hopefully making mental notes on how to avoid similar delays in the future by getting more sleep and swapping energy drinks for water.

I could recount countless more first-hand examples of the dedication of our Officers in the face of heavy traffic volumes and the persistent carelessness of some drivers. I could also describe a number of devastating and preventable crashes caused by drivers falling asleep, or losing control of their vehicle due to a burst tyre that wasn't checked properly. 

Tomorrow’s numbers will sadly illustrate the extent of our road safety challenge.