Durban - Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has urged police to deal with motorists who do not obey the rules of the road. Mbalula is on a road safety campaign along the N3 Highway ahead of Saturday's Vodacom Durban July festivities.
On Thursday, 1262 vehicles went through the roadblock; two motorists were arrested for fraudulent documentation, 23 unroadworthy vehicles were impounded and 41 fines were issued for minor offences such as expired disks.
The annual horse racing event taking place at the Greyville Racecourse in Durban, attracts thousands of people with many of them driving to the coast.
Mbalula will be joined by members of the South African Police Service, National Traffic Police and Ekurhuleni Metro Police at roadblocks along the route, this weekend.
Law enforcement officers are using a mobile vehicle testing center and other high tech machinery to check the condition of vehicles and drivers. Mbalula said unroadworthy vehicles should be impounded and drunk drivers must be arrested.
“This weekend many of our people will be descending to KwaZulu-Natal in what is well known and called the July Handicap. When you wear that badge, wear it with a responsibility to maintain law and order and maintain the authority of the state in ensuring that these roads are safe,” said Mbalula.
According to the N3 Toll Concession, about 16 000 vehicles travel on the N3 between Heidelberg and Cedara daily, the volumes increase to 30 000 a day during peak holiday periods.
On average, there are 3 crashes a day along that stretch of road, with 588 crashes recorded there between January and June 2019 alone.
The Vodacom Durban July and related festivities take place in Durban on the weekend of 6 July 2019. The spectacle attracts thousands of revelers, many of which commute by road, via the N3 highway.
The minister encouraged law enforcement officials to be out in full force this weekend and urged motorists to travel with care.