Cape Town - According to preliminary reports at least 11 people, including a baby, died in road crashes in the Western Cape over the past weekend.
The provincial transport department said on Monday there were two crashes on Friday, one on the N2 near Somerset West which claimed the lives of two passengers while in the other accident a driver was killed.
On Saturday, a driver and passenger died in an accident on the N1 near Bellville. A baby was killed on the same day in a car crash on Ottery Road, Lansdowne. In another two separate accidents drivers were killed - one on the R304 at Klipheuwel and another on the corner of Wesbank Main Road and Stellenbosch Arterial road.
According to the department, a pedestrian was killed on the N1 at Leeu Gamka, a driver in an accident on the N2 at Knysna and a passenger in a crash on the road between Klipheuwel and Malmesbury on Sunday.
Traffic officers pulled over more than 2000 drivers at 24 roadblocks.
"Forty-two motorists were arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol over the weekend," the department said. "Fourteen were arrested in the George service area, six in Swellendam, four in Brackenfell, four in Mossel Bay, three in Somerset West, three in Caledon; two in Beaufort West; two in Vredenburg; one in Laingsburg; one in Vredendal; one in Oudtshoorn; and one in Worcester," the department said.
"The highest breath alcohol reading was recorded in the Caledon service area. At 1.28 mg of alcohol/1000 ml of breath, this is over five times the legal limit of 0.24 mg/1000 ml."
Fines worth almost half a million rand were issued to 352 drivers for offences, including speeding.
"The highest speeds recorded were: 202 km/h in a 120 km/h zone in the Brackenfell service area, and 135 km/h in a 100 km/h zone in the Beaufort West service area."
African News Agency