South Africa's streets are failing its people

PEDESTRIAN DEATHS

- THEMBA MANGANE

SOUTH Africa's roads and intersections are built for speed and volume, not pedestrian safety. Crossings are unmarked or unlit, and in too many places, there are no pedestrian routes at all, says the writer. | File/Newspress

(File/Newspress)

AS FAMILIES prepare to travel this festive season, one number should put every transport planner, engineer, and policymaker on edge: 41.9%.

That's the share of road deaths over the 2024/2025 holiday period that were pedestrians, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation. Out of 1 589 fatalities, 654 were people on foot - ordinary South Africans walking to work, public transport, church, or to visit family.

These are not random accidents. They are the predictable result of a country where most roads are designed for vehicles, not people.

South Africa's roads and intersections are built for speed and volume, not pedestrian safety. Road planning in South Africa prioritises traffic-related factors, such as the speed and volume of private vehicles, over considerations for pedestrian safety (Beukes & Zuid-geest, 2010).