28 Killed on Western Cape Roads in First Week of December
- Almost 30 people have died on Western Cape roads barely two weeks into the festive season of 2025
- The province’s Mobility Department reported that the accidents happened in the first week of the month
- Briefly News spoke to Arrive Alive CEO advocate Johan Jonck about accidents in the festive season and what contributes to the high fatalities
For seven years, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, South Africa, covered a range of topics, including accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather, and natural disaster-related incidents, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.
Source: Getty Images
WESTERN CAPE — Arrive Alive CEO Advocate Johan Jonck told Briefly News that road safety challenges during the festive season are caused by increased traffic and increased drunk driving, and pedestrians. More than 25 people were killed on Western Cape roads in the first week of December, most of them being pedestrians.
According to the SA government website, the Western Cape Mobility Department reported that 28 people died in 21 fatal accidents between 1 and 7 December 2025. The highest number of fatalities was pedestrians: 12 pedestrians, three drivers, 10 passengers, one cyclist, and two motorists died.
Pedestrian safety a concern for Western Cape government
The province’s Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku, said that the province considers pedestrian safety as one of its greatest concerns. He called on road users to exercise caution, whether behind the wheel or walking alongside the road. He also pointed out that long-distance drivers’ mental and physical fitness is important to reducing the number of accidents.
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Briefly News speaks to Arrive Alive CEO
Speaking to Briefly News, Jonck discussed the safety challenges that Arrive Alive is facing for the festive season.
“The major challenges stem from increased traffic as people head either to their holiday destinations or places from their origin. With the festive season, it is also closely connected to festivities and the risks of celebrations and intoxications, increasing drunk driving and drunk pedestrians on our roads,” he said.
Jonck also said that these travels usually involve much longer distances, increasing the risks of driver tiredness.
Source: Getty Images
Fatalities in previous festive seasons
South African roads have recorded high fatalities during the recent festive season. During the 2023 festive season, former Transport Minister Sindiwe Chikunga said that 719 people died on roads nationally. She revealed that most of the accidents took place in Gauteng, while the least number of deaths took place in the Northern Cape. She said that the Department would have to resort to drastic measures to ensure that fewer people died on the roads.
The current Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, said on 20 January 2025 that taxis were involved in 53% of the 2024 festive season’s major accidents. Creecy revealed that 1,502 people died from 1,234 fatal crashes nationwide. KwaZulu-Natal had the highest fatalities with 304 deaths from 247 accidents. Gauteng had the second-highest number of deaths with 235 deaths from 224 fatal crashes.
7 killed in Mpumalanga accident
In a related article, Briefly News reported that seven people were killed in an accident in Mpumalanga. Two vehicles collided with each other on 8 December 2025 between Ogies and Emalahleni.
A sedan and a light delivery vehicle collided after one of them lost control and crossed into oncoming traffic. All occupants of the vehicle died. Five of the victims, including three men and two women, were travelling in the sedan, while two men were traveling in the light delivery vehicle.
Source: Briefly News
