Traffic Volumes To Increase on N1, N12, N4, N2, R61 As Holidaymakers Return Home; SA Reacts

• The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said it expects national and provincial roads to be busy in the coming weeks
• Many holidaymakers will be streaming into significant towns and cities as they return from visiting friends and families across the country
• Scores of people have died on the roads since the beginning of December 2024, and South Africans weighed in on the traffic volumes expected to increase

With nine years of experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, provided insights into infrastructure challenges and state-owned enterprises in South Africa at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG — South Africans are expected to go home from different parts of the country. Road Traffic Management (RTMC) saw unprecedented traffic volumes on national roads in January 2025.

How busy will the roads be?

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane told SABC News that traffic volumes on the N1, N4, N2, R61, and N12 will increase unprecedentedly from 3 January. These roads, being the gateways to neighbouring states and coastal areas, will be congested.

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The traffic jams begin early, peak at 10 AM and last all day. He said the roads will be more congested on 5 January well into 7 January. Zwane said disposable income and more plans to go on holidays have contributed to the high volume.

Fatalities on SA roads in December 2024

• Barbara Creecy, the Minister of Transport, revealed in December that there were more than 500 fatalities on the road since the festive season began
• Multiple trucks were involved in an accident on the N3 in KwaZulu-Natal
• Seven people perished in two horrific accidents in the Eastern Cape

South Africans react

Netizens on Facebook discussed the traffic volumes.

Humble Lemmetjies said:

"Halt the trucks for two days."

Antoineth Shidzinga Maswugwini said:

"Tomorrow it will be worse."

Wanda TeresaMcCleary Barnard said:

"Drive safely, please."

Robinson Maakana said:

"Road traffic officials must be very ready. No more accidents."

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Melo Tlou said:

"Please plant more traffic officers on the N3 as from this weekend and on weekdays."

Accident in Mpumalanga kills 7 people

In a related article, Briefly News reported about an accident on the N3 in Mpumalanga two days before Christmas Eve. Seven people died, and five people were injured in the crash.

A Taxi was travelling 10 kilometres north of Cillier when it overturned. The RTMC closed the road while the traffic site was investigated. The cause of the car overturning is unknown.

Source: Briefly News