As thousands of South Africans prepare to travel for the Easter weekend, national and provincial transport authorities have launched intensified road safety campaigns aimed at curbing fatalities on the country’s roads.
Speaking at the national launch of the March to May Road Safety campaign in Pretoria last week, Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy said the campaign would run until May 2 under the theme “It Begins with Me”, placing responsibility for road safety on both drivers and pedestrians.
The minister said law enforcement efforts had already seen results, with a 10% decline in road accidents in January 2025 compared to January 2024, and a 25% drop in February year-on-year.
She said driver and pedestrian behaviour is responsible for 87% of road accidents and fatalities.
“Reducing road fatalities and accidents is the responsibility of each one of us.”
Over the next six weeks, she said authorities will focus on inspecting buses for roadworthiness and ensuring driver fatigue management, especially with the expected surge in long-distance travel by churches.
“We are working with the bus industry to check vehicle roadworthiness and educate drivers on fatigue management ahead of the Easter weekend,” said Creecy.
She added that meetings with the faith-based sector will also be held to plan for major Easter gatherings.
“Widespread meetings with the faith-based sector will support safe and appropriate travel arrangements to the big events over the Easter weekend,” she said.
This follows a tragic incident earlier this month where members of the Twelve Apostles Church in Trinity were killed after their bus overturned along the N2 near KwaDukuza, earlier this month.
In KwaZulu-Natal, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said the province would roll out high-visibility operations in collaboration with local municipalities.
“We will be working with church leaders and inter-faith organisations to ensure that we check vehicles that will be used. We will ensure high visibility of the Road Traffic Inspectorate throughout the Easter holidays,” Duma said during a roadblock operation at the Mariannhill Toll Plaza.
Nationally, enforcement agencies including the national Traffic Police, SAPS, provincial traffic departments, and municipal authorities will monitor critical routes. These include:
- N4 in Nelspruit,
- R71 in Mankweng,
- N2 in Libode,
- R61 in Mthatha,
- R54 in Parys,
- N3 in Harrismith,
- N2 in KwaDukuza,
- N4 in Middelburg,
- R66 in Nongoma
Minister Creecy said joint operation centres would coordinate these efforts. “We have identified the most critical routes across the country requiring additional resources and more focused monitoring over this period,” she said.