Gauteng authorities intensify road safety operations ahead of Easter, warning motorists and pedestrians against alcohol-related risks as traffic volumes surge across the province. Picture Credit: Facebook
By Aisha Zardad
Gauteng — Gauteng authorities have ramped up road safety operations ahead of the Easter weekend, with a strong warning to motorists and pedestrians about the dangers of alcohol-related behaviour on the roads.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, cautioned against both drinking and driving, as well as drinking and walking, highlighting the growing role intoxicated pedestrians play in road fatalities.
Leading the province’s Easter Road Safety campaign on Thursday, Diale-Tlabela visited Park Station — the country’s busiest railway hub, which accommodates over 16 million passengers annually — as part of efforts to reinforce safety awareness.
With traffic volumes expected to surge as holidaymakers, travellers and churchgoers take to the roads, she urged the public to take shared responsibility for safety.
“As drivers and road users, let us call each other out and take collective responsibility. We encourage people to drink at home and drink and sleep. So, we are saying, do not drink and drive, don’t drink and walk, as we are losing a lot of lives on our roads; it’s impacting badly on us as a society and as different families,” she emphasised.
Law enforcement agencies across Gauteng are expected to intensify their presence throughout the long weekend, targeting high-risk behaviour and ensuring compliance on major routes.
Diale-Tlabela stressed that whether people are travelling to reunite with loved ones or attend religious gatherings, safety must remain a priority.
She also pointed to encouraging trends, noting a significant decline in fatalities. Nationally, road deaths dropped by 45.6% — from 307 to 167 — compared to 2024, while Gauteng recorded a 42% decrease.
However, she warned that human behaviour remains the leading cause of road incidents, with more than half of fatalities linked to driver conduct and fatigue.
