Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 31 December 2025

📸 Gauteng records a 15% drop in road deaths following intensified festive season law enforcement, with authorities urging continued road safety and responsible behaviour.

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has reported encouraging results from its intensified festive season law enforcement operations, citing a notable decline in road deaths during one of the year’s busiest travel periods.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, departmental spokesperson Lesiba Mpya said the campaign, carried out between 22 and 28 December across Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, has yielded “strong results” through the work of the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI).

“We seem to be winning the road safety battle, particularly this festive season,” Mpya said, pointing to a “15 percent drop in road deaths compared to last year.” He attributed the improvement to aggressive enforcement, especially targeting public transport and unsafe vehicles.

According to Mpya, officials focused on a range of offences including non-compliance, drunk driving and bribery. “We have been very aggressive in our public transport crackdown, as well as the discontinuation of unroadworthy vehicles,” he said.

During the reporting period, 45 unsafe vehicles were discontinued, while 30 vehicles were impounded. Authorities also arrested 27 motorists for offences including drunk driving and attempted bribery. In addition, 193 drivers were found to be operating vehicles without valid licences, and 187 minibus taxis were stopped for failing to display licence discs. A further 65 minibus taxis were discontinued.

Mpya said the department’s road safety campaign underpins the enforcement drive, It Starts With You, which emphasises personal responsibility on the roads. “Eighty-seven percent of crashes are caused by human error, not mechanical failure,” he noted. “The choices that people make speeding, drinking and driving, walking on highways, are what amount to the high level of fatalities.”

While overall fatalities showed a decline, Mpya raised serious concerns about pedestrian deaths, which he said account for a significant portion of road fatalities. “We are seeing a lot of pedestrians getting killed,” he said, adding that poor visibility and risky behaviour, such as crossing highways, are major contributing factors. “Motorists cannot see them, particularly at night.”

He stressed that the intensified enforcement is not limited to peak seasons. “Law enforcement intensification is a measure that is also going to be seen throughout the year,” Mpya said, describing it as part of a broader zero-tolerance approach to lawlessness on Gauteng’s roads.

As traffic volumes increase with holidaymakers returning home, Mpya urged motorists to remain vigilant. “Fatigue kills. Stop and rest if you are tired. Do not drink and drive,” he said. He also appealed to taxi passengers to check vehicle roadworthiness and to pedestrians to “wear bright clothing at night, never walk on highways and use pedestrian crossings.”

Mpya concluded with a warning against corruption: “If you are going to bribe a police officer, you are going to be arrested.”

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Annisa Essack and Lesiba Mpya.