The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mxolisi Kaunda has instructed law enforcement officers to clamp down on reckless drivers following a fatal crash which claimed the lives of 15 people yesterday along the N2 near Empangeni.
Preliminary investigation revealed that two vehicles, a Mercedes Benz and a Toyota Quantum collided head-on, killing 14 people instantly.
Yesterday morning, another fatal crash occurred in Appelsbosch, north of Durban which claimed the lives of seven people. Within 12 hours, the province lost 22 lives on the road.
Kaunda said that the crashes will not deter the province from its commitment to reduce road crashes and fatalities by over 10% during the festive season and beyond. “Yesterday, we launched an integrated safety plan that focuses on high law enforcement visibility in all hazardous spots in the province. We are going to clamp down on drinking and driving, over-speeding, un-roadworthy vehicles and unlicensed drivers,” said Kaunda.
Early this morning, Kaunda visited the survivors of the crash at Ngwelezane Hospital to wish them a speedy recovery. He also sent his deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased and pledged government support in ensuring that all the deceased are given a dignified burial.
Kaunda called on the people of KwaZulu-Natal, particularly road users to work closely with government to reduce road crashes since road safety is a collective responsibility. “We will win the battle against fatal crashes if we work together and speak in one voice that road crashes should not be part of our lives. Let us all join hands and ensure that each one of us abide by the rules of the road,” said Kaunda.
A team of investigators and forensic experts has been assembled to establish the cause of the crash. The Department of Transport will send a team of engineers to conduct an assessment along the stretch of road to establish if additional safety measures are required.