Western Cape saw a 15.24% decrease in road fatalities during the festive season

The Western Cape recorded a 15.24% decrease in road fatalities during the 2024/2025 festive period

Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku released the province’s festive season road safety statistics on Monday.

According to Sileku, 139 people died during 1 December 2024 to 11 January 2025.

“This figure represents a 15.24% decrease compared to the 164 fatalities recorded during the same period last year,” he said.

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Reduction in fatalities

Sileku said that the reduction in fatalities is a testament to the dedication of traffic officers, enforcement partners, and road safety teachers.

“Similarly, the number of fatal crashes dropped from 142 to 123 – a trend that affirms the positive impact of our approach,” he said

Sileku added that pedestrians account for the highest number of fatalities in the province.

Officers deployed

According to the minister, the Western Cape is the only province in South Africa with a 24/7 Traffic Law Enforcement service.

Sileku announced that 701 officers were deployed, supported by 356 vehicles across the province. Their efforts were complemented by their partners:

• The National Traffic Police, which deployed 82 officers and 17 cars.
• The City of Cape Town, with 341 officers and 310 vehicles dedicated to managing traffic flow within the Metro.

“1 695 integrated Traffic Law Enforcement operations were conducted compared to 2 207 during the previous festive season.”

According to Sileku, the focus of the festive season law enforcement differed from previous years, moving away from static operations to increased visibility through sector patrolling.

“This created a sense of increased law enforcement presence, which led to improved road user behaviour.”

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905 arrests

Officers prioritised high-visibility patrols at night and in dangerous places, notably along the N1 and N2 and in high-risk Metro areas such as Khayelitsha (N2) and Woodstock (N1).

Operations across the Western Cape led to the inspection of more than 215 000 vehicles, making 905 arrests.

• 627 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol, up from 576 last year, with males aged 18-35 the majority of offenders.
• Other arrests included speeding, reckless and negligent driving, and fraudulent documentation.

“A total of 72 438 fines were issued for various traffic violations, a slight improvement compared to More than 87 000 fines last year,” Sileku said.

However, 72 000 fines remain a cause for concern and demonstrate that driver behaviour still needs significant improvement.

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Road safety campaigns

The Road Safety Education Unit complemented these enforcement efforts with 43 road safety interventions.

“These campaigns reached approximately 3 286 members of the public and distributed more than 1 700 pamphlets.”

Additionally, Sileku said 1 062 public transport vehicles were tested at key hubs, including Joe Gqabi and Bellville stations and the Intercape Bus Depot.

“Addressing these issues requires sustained commitment.

“We will continue to prioritise road safety as a shared responsibility and urge all road users to play their part in ensuring safer roads for everyone,” he concluded.

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