Human error and speeding have been singled out as one of the contributory factors to road crashes on the country’s roads. This is as the Mpumalanga province records 18 fatalities since the beginning of the Easter long weekend.
Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu says enough is enough. Ndlovu was part of the roadblock operation at the Machado toll plaza on the N4, as many travelers are heading back.
More than 100 people have been arrested for noncompliance, as well as drinking and driving on the roads. Most of these crashes could have be avoided if motorists heeded calls to adhere to the rules, says Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC, Jackie Macie.
“We call upon our motorists: if they feel tired, they must make sure they find a space at a garage and rest because it is their lives that we are trying to protect here. We can’t force things. If you travel but feel fatigue is catching up, rest.”
Traffic law enforcement officers were visible on the roads, some with speed cameras, ensuring motorists are driving at the required speed limits. Road users have welcomed the visibility of law enforcement officers and police on the Mpumalanga roads. Some believe their visibility helps motorists to obey the rules of the road.
Provincial leaders and traffic officials monitored a joint roadblock on the N4 at Machado Toll Plaza. #ArriveAlive #RoadSafety #Easter @MpumalangaGov
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) April 21, 2025
Public Works, Road and Transport MEC Thulasizwe Thomo says they arrested several transport operators who render services without valid operating permits.
“We have been visible across all the roads that we think are notorious, and we have sufficient work, I believe, because we managed to impound close to 985 vehicles due to different factors and reasons. We have been doing fairly well as a department, especially on the part that I believe is educating our drivers. What I mean is that if they take vehicles, they must be able to detect whether they have problems and be able to take ownership and also tell the owners about vehicles that are not in good condition.”
Meanwhile, the Mpumalanga Premier has registered his concerns about the high number of road fatalities.
“We are not winning; the graph of fatalities in Mpumalanga is going up from 15 in 2023 to 17 in 2024. Today, we are already at 18 fatalities, so we have to go back to the drawing board and ensure we work on the main. We must be visible on our roads because our understanding is that most of the fatalities are caused by human factors.”
The Machado Toll Plaza was extremely busy as travelers were making their way back from the Easter long weekend.
WATCH: Easter Monday Traffic | Monitoring traffic volumes in Mpumalanga
