Police Minister Senzo Mchunu Is Worried About High Number of Road Fatalities in the Eastern Cape

• The Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, has expressed concern that there is an increasing number of people dying in the Eastern Cape
• He spoke hours after 11 people died in a head-on collision between a taxi and a bakkie in the province on 22 December
• Mchunu spoke during the launch of the police's Safer Festive Season inspection tour in the Eastern Cape
• Crash investigator Stan Bezuidenhout discussed with Briefly News about the patterns he's observed which led to bus accidents

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather and natural disaster-related incidents at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

EASTERN CAPE — Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said he was concerned about the number of people dying on the Eastern Cape roads during the festive season. This was after 11 people died in Dutywa on 22 December.

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Mchunu speaks on EC accidents

Mchunu spoke during the South African Police Service's Festive Season Inspection Tour in the Eastern Cape, where the police received 10 motorbikes to enhance their visibility. Since the beginning of December, almost 90 people have died in accidents in the province. He said the department is working hard with the Transport Department to increase visibility on the roads in the Eastern Cape and South Africa.

Briefly News speaks to crash expert

Crash expert Stan Bezuidenhout spoke to Briefly News about patterns that lead to buses getting into accidents.

"Long-distance buses are involved in serious road traffic collisions more often than municipal buses. Bus drivers are often required to drive for extended hours without rest. Driving culture in south Africa, especially unsafe driving, is becoming the norm rather than the exception. Intentional human action, like speeding, driving too fast, and overtaking in the face of approaching traffic, as driving culture, has been normalised," he said.

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Festive season accidents in the Eastern Cape

• Six children perished when a bus overturned near Worcester on the N1 on 1 December
• Three people died, and two were seriously injured in a head-on collision on the R61 near Bizana on 16 December
• Seven people died in two separate accidents on the N2 and R409 on 20 December

South Africans also worried

Netizens on Facebook also shared their frustrations.

Thabiso J Thabana said:

"The Eastern Cape has been through a lot this year. Floods, massacres and now accidents."

Joseph Joe Mohohla said:

"People who are driving don't know the signs and rules of the roads, but they have licences."

Lebo Mcquinn said:

"Human behaviour: fatigue, speed, recklessness and drunk driving."

Kevin Smith said:

"Stop expressing and do something."

Toka Guerilla Lepota said:

"Stop expressing concerns and do something about it."

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7 dead in Limpopo accident

In a recent article, Briefly News reported that seven people lost their lives in an accident on the N1 in Botlokwa, Limpopo, on 22 December. The accident involved a taxi and a truck.

Multiple vehicles piled up on top of one another during the accidents, and scores were injured. A resident said their road experiences accidents during the festive season annually.

Source: Briefly News