Western Cape's festive road safety campaign to safeguard holiday travellers

The Western Cape has launched one of its largest festive-season road safety operations, deploying more than 600 provincial officers and over 300 vehicles to help manage holiday traffic across the province.

The plan was unveiled on Saturday in Beaufort West during the Western Cape Mobility Department’s 2025 Festive Season Road Safety launch. According to the department, the purpose of the campaign is “to make sure every person using our roads feels safe, protected, and able to reach those important moments with friends and family.”

Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku said the approach is focused on ensuring that residents and visitors reach their destinations safely. “One life lost is one too many. We enter this festive season with an unwavering determination to ensure that everyone is safe on our roads. Road safety is up to all of us, so please follow the rules of the road and take frequent breaks.”

He added: “We want to see sons and daughters reunited with parents after a year at school. We want to see brothers meeting up after months apart working in different parts of the province. We want friends to meet in a coastal town and enjoy a braai together reflecting on the year that was.”

The province said 665 traffic officers will be deployed around the clock, backed by over 300 traffic vehicles. Evidentiary Breath Alcohol Testing (EBAT) centres and mobile units will operate for alcohol enforcement, while Mobile Vehicle Testing Units will conduct roadworthiness inspections, particularly in the public transport and freight sectors. High-visibility patrols will target speeding, distracted driving and reckless behaviour, and fatigue-management interventions will be set up along long-distance routes including the N1, N2 and N7. Targeted pedestrian-safety operations will focus on high-risk areas.

The plan includes joint operations with SAPS, EMS, municipal traffic services and various safety partners, supported by weather and disaster contingencies forming part of an integrated operational approach.

Throughout the festive period, the department will run a multi-platform awareness and behaviour-change campaign focusing on fatigue, pedestrian safety, alcohol abuse, speeding and vehicle fitness.

“Enforcement alone cannot change behaviour. Every motorist, passenger and pedestrian has a role to play. Check your vehicle, rest often, be patient, be vigilant, and never drink and drive. Let us work together to ensure a safer festive season for all,” said Maxine Bezuidenhout, the department’s Chief Director: Traffic Management.

Sileku also thanked officers and emergency services working through the holidays. “I wish every traffic officer, SAPS member, EMS responder, municipal traffic officer, and disaster management team strength and safety during this period. Your commitment and sacrifice do not go unnoticed. You are the backbone of our road safety response, and we thank you for your service,” he said.

The Western Cape Government reminded road users that safety is a shared responsibility. Motorists were urged to rest between long trips, ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, obey the rules of the road and respect instructions from officers. Pedestrians were encouraged to use designated crossings, wear visible clothing and avoid walking near roadways while intoxicated.

Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel.

Cape Argus