As the Easter weekend approaches, authorities and advocacy groups are urging South Africans to prioritize road safety, with a particular focus on combating drunk driving. The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and ChildSafe South Africa have issued a coordinated appeal for heightened vigilance and a fundamental change in road user behaviour to curb the holiday’s typically devastating accident toll.
According to Zaitoon Rabaney, executive director of ChildSafe South Africa, road safety is a shared responsibility, and every parent and caregiver must be the primary protector of their children. Rabaney emphasized the importance of making the active choice to ensure that every child is properly restrained and that every vehicle is safe before it leaves the driveway.
Road Safety Statistics
RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane pointed out that children between the ages of five and 19 constituted 7.2% of people who died on the roads during the Easter period in 2025. This makes it imperative for caregivers to recognize that they must take extra efforts to instil the culture of safe road usage among children to protect their lives and reduce avoidable road injuries and fatalities.
In KwaZulu-Natal, law enforcement has ramped up operations, focusing heavily on drunk driving. MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, announced stringent enforcement efforts, with Operation Shanela and the new #NenzaniLaEzweni campaign already yielding results. Last night, 27 motorists, including four females, were arrested for drunk driving in Umhlanga Rocks and Durban North, respectively.
Enforcement Efforts
MEC Duma confirmed that one individual was found to be 10 times over the legal blood alcohol limit. To ensure the successful prosecution of these drunk drivers, the RTI is following the Criminal Procedure Act by working with nurses deployed by the Durban metro police and the KZN Department of Health.
The MEC said more than 80 roadblocks, focusing on drunk driving, will be executed under the auspices of the #NenzaniLaEzweni Operation. For more information on road safety and the consequences of drunk driving, visit the Wikipedia page on drunk driving or the official RTMC website.
Some key road safety tips include:
- Always wear a seatbelt and ensure that all passengers are properly restrained
- Never drive under the influence of alcohol or other substances
- Obey all traffic laws and regulations
- Be aware of your surroundings and anticipate the actions of other road users
By following these tips and prioritizing road safety, we can all do our part to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on our roads this Easter weekend.
