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Fellow South Africans, we have now entered the Easter peak travel period, which is one of the busiest and most high-risk travel times in our country. I wish to give an update on the progress we have made since the launch of the Easter campaign.
It is a well-known fact that the N1 is the busiest route during this period, which requires full attention to reduce crashes and fatalities.
As we start the Easter travel period, we have noted positive progress as the number of crashes and fatalities between 20 March and 30 March has shown a reduction.
Preliminary statistics indicate that the number of fatal crashes in the period has been reduced from 306, which was recorded in the same period in 2025, to 255 this year, which represents a 16.7 per cent decrease. The number of fatalities has been reduced from 356 to 291, which represents an 18.3 per cent decrease.
Reductions in crashes and fatalities have been recorded in all provinces except the Free State and Eastern Cape. Gauteng, Limpopo and Northern Cape recorded the sharpest decreases of between 46 per cent and 47 per cent.
This progress gives us hope as we start the Easter peak travel period. The success was made possible by intensified law enforcement in all provinces. A total of 321 roadblocks were held in the period, with 374 161 vehicles stopped and checked.
A total of 1122 vehicles were discontinued for defects, which made them unfit to be used on the road, while 1147 vehicles were impounded for mainly violating travel permits.
More than 500 drivers were arrested for drunken driving, fourteen (14) for speeding and 93 pedestrians were arrested for jaywalking on the freeways.
It has been noted in this period that many motorists were involved in excessive speeding, driving without fastening seatbelts, driving without a driving licence, operating unlicensed vehicles and driving vehicles with worn tyres. These offences, including moving violations such as overtaking barrier lines, using cell phones while driving, will not be tolerated as they lead to avoidable crashes.
We have already seen a surge in traffic volumes on this route, which is the N1 and all other routes. The N1 is expected to have more than 2500 vehicles passing its toll gates at its peak, as many travellers will be going for the Easter pilgrimage in Moria, while others will be travelling to neighbouring countries.
Law enforcement has been intensified, including the deployment of the National Traffic Police to ensure visibility day and night and to ensure compliance with road regulations. They will be operating in a three-shift system, 6H00am to 14H00, 14H00 to 22H00 and 22H00 to 6H00.
Due to financial constraints, a high concentration of National Traffic Police (NTP) deployment will be mostly in Limpopo and Gauteng provinces due to their strategic role in national travel patterns during this period.
They will also patrol the N3 Pretoria to Villiers, N1 south Pretoria to Kroonstad, N4 east Pretoria to Middleburg, N12 Johannesburg to Potchefstroom, and N4 west Pretoria to Rustenburg on a 24/7 basis.
Special operational measures on these major high-risk routes include:
Increased patrol density
Continuous speed monitoring and alcohol testing
Coordinated deployments at toll plazas, rest stops and known accident hotspots
Attention is paid to scheduled and non-scheduled long-distance buses, minibuses and buses carrying church congregants and other groups.
As part this Easter activations, we have engaged various Faith-Based Organisations, including the Bantu Church of Christ, South African Council of Churches and the Zion Christian Church, who have committed to share road safety awareness messages with congregants, encouraging responsible road user behaviour before and after services, and promoting values of care for life, responsibility for others and obedience to the law.
I therefore call on every road user to take personal responsibility:
Avoid alcohol when driving.
Always obey speed limits.
Ensure the vehicle is roadworthy before travelling.
Take regular rest breaks on long journeys.
Always wear your seatbelt.
Be patient and considerate towards other road users.
To public transport passengers: do not board vehicles that appear unsafe or overloaded. Your safety is your right.
To all drivers: your actions can save lives - or cost them. Let us choose responsibility.
Our message this Easter is simple: road safety begins with each one of us.
Let us work together to ensure that all who travel this Easter get to their destinations and return safely.
I wish all South Africans a safe and peaceful Easter.