Johannesburg - Traffic volumes on the roads are still low because commuters have arrived at their destinations, said the Road Traffic Management Corporation on Saturday.
“We can confirm that volumes have definitely calmed, probably because most people have reached their destinations,” said spokesman Ashref Ismail.
He said so far 116 people had been arrested for drinking and driving nationally and 16 for excessive speeding.
He stressed the importance of seat belts being worn by all passengers. “People are not buckling up. If you get a seat belt wearing rate of almost 80 percent of people in the front and back seats, then that reduces 30 percent of fatalities on the roads,” said Ismail.
In Tshwane, Metro police spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said things were still quiet.
“We are expecting it to pick up tomorrow evening or Monday.” In the Western Cape, traffic chief Kenny Africa said one person had been reported dead.
“We have one fatality. A pedestrian was knocked down by a motor vehicle on the R300 near Bellville.”
Africa said there were 12 road blocks on the province's national and main routes on Friday evening.
A total of 1474 vehicles were stopped and 683 drivers were tested for alcohol and 17 were arrested for drunken driving.
He said the value of fines that had been collected on the night was R89,300.
A little more than 700 people had been arrested for exceeding the speed limit.
In Limpopo five people had died since Thursday.
Two people died on Saturday morning at The Oaks, in Mopane District, when the driver of a Toyota sedan lost control of the car, Limpopo road and transport spokesman Joshua Kwapa said.
It overturned and went into the forest. The driver and passenger died. Another driver, 32, died after he lost control of his car on d3689 road in Tengwe village, Muthale district at around 9pm on Friday. A head on collision between two cars left a 36-year-old driver dead and three passengers seriously injured.
The collision happened on the R567 road in Ceres village, Capricorn District on Friday night.
A 56-year-old man died on Friday, when he was hit by a car in Makonde village, Zhembe district, Kwapa said.
In Mpumalanga, 12 912 vehicles had been stopped, said Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison Department spokesperson Joseph Mabuza in a statement.
“The operations, which are still continuing throughout the Easter, have also led to a stopping of 12912 vehicles. A total of 2833 notices were issued to drivers for various offences. 23 people were also arrested for excessive speeding, drunken driving and possession of false documents.”
Mabuza said MEC Vusi Shongwe had called for law enforcement to be harsh towards those disregarding the rules of the road.
The Minister of Transport, Ben Martins and his deputy Sindisiwe Chikunga were visiting busy roads country-wide this weekend.
“(They) are visiting various provinces across the country interacting with road users during this Easter holiday season in order to encourage greater safety on the roads,” department spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said in a statement. - Sapa