Fourty percent of Mzansi Road Deaths in Gauteng
MEC Calls for Urgent Action Before Holidays
In a stark warning ahead of the festive season, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela has called on motorists to make road safety their top priority, citing alarming fatality statistics in the province.
Speaking at the Road Safety meets Tourism Conference recently held at the Cradle of Humankind in West Rand, Diale-Tlabela highlighted that Gauteng accounts for approximately 40% of national road fatalities, making it the province with the highest number of fatal crashes in South Africa.
“While we prioritize road maintenance for safe driving conditions, we also encourage road users to uphold our country’s laws,” said Diale-Tlabela. “We must focus on eradicating irresponsible behaviors like drink driving and the disturbing trend of recording content while driving, which significantly contributes to road fatalities.”
The statistics paint a grim picture: approximately seven people die daily on Gauteng roads, with over 25,000 fatalities recorded in the past decade. Even more concerning is that pedestrians account for 54% of these deaths.
To address these challenges, the MEC says her department has set an ambitious target of reducing road fatalities by 10% during this financial year. Their integrated road safety strategy encompasses enforcement, infrastructure development, public awareness, and community engagement.
The MEC announced plans to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety through increased investment in infrastructure. “We are expanding our network of pedestrian crossings, footpaths, and bicycle lanes in both urban and rural areas,” she explained. “Additional upgrades will include improved lighting, signage, and crosswalk accessibility.”
The conference, which brought together road safety and tourism stakeholders, aimed to strengthen safety measures while maintaining Gauteng’s appeal as a tourist destination.
Mathew Sathekge, CEO of Cradle Management Authority, emphasized the importance of basic infrastructure maintenance: “Our experience is that housing is an attractive destination for tourism because it provides various options for visitors. It is important for municipalities to ensure street lighting is improved and traffic signals are functioning properly.”
The department’s strategy particularly focuses on assisting tourists who may be unfamiliar with local road conditions.
“By partnering strategically with the Cradle of Humankind, a world heritage site, we strive to tap into the tourism sector’s capacity to drive road safety improvements,” Diale-Tlabela added. “This collaboration will help us communicate critical safety information to tourists more effectively.”