47 dead, over 100 arrested during KZN’s Easter road havoc

Forty-seven people died in road accidents and more than 100 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence over the Easter weekend in KwaZulu-Natal.

DURBAN, April 6 (ANA) – Forty-seven people died in road accidents and more than 100 motorists were arrested for driving under the influence over the Easter weekend in KwaZulu-Natal.

Road accident reports show that for the period of April 1 to April 4 there were 37 crashes that led to 47 deaths, the KZN Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison said this week.

This, according to the department, was more than five times the number of crashes and fatalities reported for the same period the previous year, when the country had been on level 5 lockdown.

During the same reported period for 2020, there were five crashes that resulted in six fatalities.

KZN’s MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Peggy Nkonyeni blamed reckless behaviour for the multiple deaths.

Nkonyeni said that the evidence showed that most of the accidents were a result of speeding, overloading and driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Road fatalities are a major concern to the provincial government; however, it takes each individual to play their part in curbing the high rate of accidents that occur each year on our roads.

“No matter how many law-enforcement officers we may deploy, we can never be able to police every aspect of motorists’ behaviour, so this calls for us to individually take responsibility for our actions when we get behind the steering wheel.

“We wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the 47 people who lost their lives in these horrific accidents that occurred over the past three days. We also wish those fighting for their lives in hospital a speedy recovery,” Nkonyeni said in a statement on Monday.

During the recorded period, a motorist in Scottburgh, south of the Durban central business district, was arrested for being 11 times over the legal alcohol limit.

On the opposite end of the province, near the Empangeni area, a motorist was caught near Mtunzini doing 170km/h in a 120km/h zone.

A total of 111 motorists were arrested for drunken driving, 324 motorists were charged for speeding, while 111 vehicles were suspended and 48 vehicles were impounded, the department said.

As the festivities drew to a close, more than 2,000 cars an hour were measured at Mariannhill Toll Plaza on the N3 from KZN on Monday, and Nkonyeni urged motorists to remain responsible on the roads. The MEC also appealed to pedestrians to avoid jaywalking on freeways.

“Integrated roadblocks will continue throughout the province, targeting all degrees of crime, including unroadworthy vehicles, overloading, distracted driving, drinking and driving and illegal drugs, among other violations,” added Nkonyeni.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher