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The Gauteng Traffic Police urge drivers, particularly public transport operators to save the lives of road users this Easter season weekend. The Easter season holiday period is characterized by a high increase in long distance travelling, mostly for religious pilgrimages and holiday adventures using mass transport such as buses and minibuses. 

Gauteng province has over the past few years, recorded a rapid increase in the number of traffic crashes. 

The following freeways and routes are expected to be busy this Easter season. 

The N3 Johannesburg to Durban 

The N12 Johannesburg to Potchefstroom 

The N1 Pretoria to Polokwane 

The N1 Johannesburg to Bloemfontein

The N4 Pretoria to Rustenburg 

The N4 Pretoria to Mpumalanga 

It is a common phenomenon that most public transport operators travel long distances without taking periodic rests to maximize profits, thereby disregarding fatigue and compounding the traffic safety situation further. “The rush to make profits by public transport operators especially during the Easter season period often results in various forms of dangerous driving such as reckless and negligent driving, disregard to traffic signals, excessive speeding, passengers overloading and unsafe overtaking. These traffic contraventions often lead to fatal crashes,” said Sello Maremane, Gauteng Traffic Police Spokesperson.  

“The Gauteng Traffic Police and various Law Enforcement Agencies, will lead a series of heightened law enforcement operations and road safety activations at identified freeways and hazardous locations in the province as part of the Easter Season Road Safety programme,” said Sello Maremane.

The Gauteng Traffic Police has also issued a stern waring to drivers who continue to conduct themselves with impunity. “The Gauteng Traffic Police will not hesitate to act decisively against drivers who disregard the rules and regulations of the road and endanger the lives of road users during the Easter season long weekend,” added Sello Maremane. 

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Department of Community Safety will further complement law enforcement initiatives this Easter season by deploying community patrollers at identified public transport hub to provide help and support to the general travelling public in an effort to save lives. 

Issued by the Gauteng Traffic Police