More than 2,500 motorists were charged with various traffic violations over the Easter weekend in KwaZulu-Natal, according to the KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma. The Road Traffic Inspectorate, along with other units, stopped 16,183 vehicles in the period between Thursday, April 2 and Saturday, April 4 in operations across the various municipalities in the province.
Easter Road Safety Operations
The RTI are working with municipal traffic police, officers from the National Traffic department as well as SAPS and Home Affairs’s Immigration Unit under the #NenzaniLaEzweni operation which kicked off last year to enhance road traffic enforcements. The department provided the following stats:
- Cars stopped and searched – 16,183
- Motorists charged for traffic violations – 2,582
- Vehicles suspended from our road networks – 150
- Motorists charged for drunk driving – 270 plus 67 arrested in Umhlanga and Durban North on the 28 and 29th March – making the total 337
- Motorists with no driver’s license – 167
- Cars impounded with no permits – 188
In one incident shared by the department, a wedding set to take place on Sunday had to be postponed after the groom and his father were arrested for alleged drunk driving in Newcastle. In another incident, a property manager was caught for allegedly exceeding a speed limit and clocking 206 km/h in a 120 km/h zone on the N3 toward Mariannhill.
Consequences of Reckless Driving
According to the department, when the property manager was stopped, he tried to offer a rent-free flat in return for his freedom, just after being intercepted by the RTI Team from Pinetown. The offer was rejected, and he was processed according to the law. For more information on road safety, visit the Department of Transport website.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport is ramping up road safety measures for the Easter and Passover long weekend, deploying over 3,400 law enforcement officers to combat drunk driving and other traffic violations. The aim is to reduce road fatalities by 10% and ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday for all road users.
