Over 1 500 people die on SA's roads over festive season

More than 1 500 people died on South African roads during the 2024 festive season – a 5.3% increase over last year.

- Oratile Mashilo

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy announced the 2024/2025 festive season death toll yesterday, saying, "Tragically, South Africa witnessed 1 502 deaths resulting from 1 234 fatal crashes during the 2024/25 festive season."

Creecy added that this increase cancels out the incremental strides that were made in recent years.

KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Northern Cape and North West recorded an increase in the number of fatalities in the 2024/2025 festive season.

"The Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State recorded increases of 70, 54 and 21 fatalities as compared to 2023/24," she said.

Gauteng, Western Cape and Mpumalanga fatality rates decreased by 76, 23, and 15 in the festive season.