More than a thousand motorists were arrested over the Easter holidays including drunk drivers, Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has confirmed. Other offences were driving without valid driver's licences, reckless driving, operating on the roads without driving permits and overloading goods and passengers.

DRINKING AND DRIVING 

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said as of today, they have recorded a total of 1 041 arrests nationwide with 900 vehicles impounded across the country. Most impounded vehicles were in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal for violating transport permits. "The arrests related to various offences, such as drunken driving, producing false driving documentation, driving recklessly, operating on the roads without driving permits, and overloading of both goods and passengers," said Zwane. He further said that they are cautioning all motorists to drive safely as they are heading back to their destinations. "I therefore plead with South African motorists to abide by the rules of the road. We are not looking for statistics as we believe that all the drivers will be careful on the road. We appeal to those who wish to drink and drive to stay away from our roads," said Zwane. He added that a total of 75,961 vehicles were stopped and checked and 916,927 drivers were issued with traffic fines for various infringements. "One of the major concerns during this period was unroadworthy vehicles, and 274 vehicles with defects vehicles were discontinued.'

FATALITIES 

At least 94 people have lost their lives on the roads since the start of the Easter holiday with Limpopo leading the number of deaths owing to the bus crash that claimed 45 live.

In Limpopo this afternoon, one person died when two cars collided heads between Makhado and Tshakhuma in Vhembe District. Spokesperson for the Department of Transport in Limpopo Tidimalo Chuene said a male driver was arrested in Mokopane for clocking 200km per hour and he will appear in court tomorrow.  In Tshwane, the City of Thwane Emergency Services reported seven deaths since Friday with four being the four teenage boys whose vehicle lost control and overturned around 4am in Saturday morning in the CBD. In Mpumalanga, the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison's Moeti Mmusi said that four people lost their lives when they were involved in a car accident on Sunday afternoon when a truck and a sedan were involved in a head-on collision on R23 Road between Standerton and Perdekop.