Road safety crackdown in Western Cape marks end of Easter weekend
Transport operators making use of licensing and permit services on Good Friday in Athlone.
Image: Supplied
As the Easter weekend draws to a close, the Western Cape’s road safety and transport compliance operations are continuing into Monday, with authorities reporting smooth permit processing alongside intensified enforcement across the province.
The provincial mobility department said operations at the Provincial Regulatory Entity, PRE, ran efficiently over the peak travel period, with transport operators collecting operating licences on time and making use of extended service hours.
Key service centres in Athlone and George operated longer hours over Good Friday and Easter Saturday, while the department’s Operator Helpdesk on Wheels travelled to rural areas to assist operators closer to home, helping them save on fuel costs.
Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku said the strong uptake of services, particularly by long-distance operators, reflected a shared commitment to compliance and passenger safety.
“We especially acknowledge long-distance operators who have made use of our services during this busy period. Their efforts to ensure their vehicles are properly licensed are important for the safety of the many passengers they carry and reflect a shared commitment to compliance and road safety,” he said.
Over two days, 642 applications were processed, including 310 seasonal temporary permits to meet increased Easter demand, 238 special event permits for group travel, 60 temporary replacement applications for damaged vehicles, and 34 duplicate document requests.
The compliance drive comes amid ongoing road safety concerns in the province, with pedestrians accounting for more than half of road fatalities this year and authorities warning of heightened risks during peak travel periods like Easter.
Provincial Traffic Services have meanwhile maintained a high-visibility, zero-tolerance enforcement approach across major routes.
In the past 48 hours, officers stopped 14 888 vehicles and arrested 29 motorists, including 24 for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Three men were arrested for DUI at a roadblock on the R303 near Ceres, while another three men and one woman were arrested on the R300. Additional arrests included drivers found in possession of false documents and one motorist unable to produce any valid documentation, in some cases while transporting passengers.
Sileku described the behaviour of some drivers as “deeply concerning”.
“These arrests show that some drivers are still putting lives at risk by ignoring the law. Because of these reckless choices, 29 individuals are now spending the long Easter weekend behind bars instead of with their loved ones,” he said.
The latest figures form part of a broader enforcement push in recent weeks, which has seen dozens of arrests for drunk driving and a spike in fatal crashes in the lead-up to the Easter period.
Enforcement operations also resulted in 642 unlicensed vehicles being removed from the road, 104 unroadworthy vehicles impounded, 4 054 fines issued, 235 speeding cases recorded and 219 incidents of overloading.
Authorities said pedestrian awareness campaigns and pre-Easter vehicle inspections have also formed part of the safety drive, aimed at reducing risks for both motorists and pedestrians.
With wet weather affecting major routes, including the N1, motorists have been urged to adjust their driving and exercise extra caution as return traffic volumes increase.
“Every traffic officer on the road is working hard to prevent crashes and save lives. We are visible, we are vigilant, and we will act. In wet conditions, there is no room for mistakes. We will continue removing unsafe drivers and vehicles until everyone reaches home safely,” Sileku said.