The Easter road safety campaign in KwaZulu-Natal will see more than 3,480 law enforcement officers and 105 national traffic police deployed in the province this coming long weekend.
KwaZulu-Natal transport and human settlements MEC Siboniso Duma announced the deployment during the launch of the province’s road safety campaign at the Umdloti Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) centre last week.
The campaign commenced with inspections of public transport vehicles, with several vehicles impounded by teams from Operation Shanela and the RTI.
Duma said a multi-disciplinary roadblock conducted in KwaMashu, in partnership with the SAPS, eThekwini metro police and other stakeholders, had set the tone for intensified enforcement in the coming weeks.
He said the newly appointed head of department, Zibusiso Dlamini, was leading a team that would strengthen the Nenzani La Ezweni Operation at 17 provincial weighbridge sites.
“The most vehicles weighed at a single weighbridge were 40,441 vehicles at the Midway weighbridge, with an average of 3,370 vehicles weighed per month. We have impounded trucks that were overloaded and those that we intercepted moving up and down with fake registration documents,” Duma said.
The department was exploring the introduction of artificial intelligence to automate weighing processes, improve accuracy and curb fraud through features such as automated number plate recognition, real-time data analytics and anomaly detection.
Duma said the province had set a target of a 10% reduction in road fatalities during the Easter and Passover long weekend.
“We have deployed more than 3,483 law enforcement officers and 105 national traffic police officers who will be operating 24 hours a day and seven days a week until May 3,” Duma said.
Intensified enforcement measures
The department has outlined interventions to enhance road safety, such as roadblocks and compliance checks, including more than 80 operations specifically targeting drink-driving.
More than 118 speed operations will be conducted in high-risk areas and zones frequented by holidaymakers and worshippers.
Interprovincial roadblocks will be undertaken by roving law enforcement teams. Authorities will conduct more than 91 operations focusing on scholar transport during the holiday period.
Duma warned that unroadworthy vehicles, including taxis, will be removed from the roads, with enforcement also targeting drivers and vehicle owners.
In a first for the province, the department will introduce 28 pedestrian enforcement operations to clamp down on drunk pedestrians walking on busy roads.
“We will also penalise pedestrians who fail to use pedestrian bridges on routes.”
Duma said the department was expecting a surge in traffic volumes, with between 1,500 and 2,000 vehicles per hour expected to pass through the province’s tollgates from April 2.
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