Parliament, Friday 19 December 2025 - The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport, Mr Donald Selamolela, has raised concerns over the frequency and high number of fatalities during the start of the festive season.
Mr Selamolela said it was very clear that the spike has a lot to do with recklessness and ill-discipline on the roads.
He said: “The serious accidents are head on and speeding and involved a number of deaths in KZN, Eastern and Northern Cape. We remain concerned by these occurrences as there is nothing government could do when drivers just decide to go rogue.”
A number of serious accidents are reported in Limpopo, KZN, Eastern Cape and in the Northern Cape. Just a few weeks ago, the Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy, together with the Road Transport Management Corporation, launched the 2025 Festive Road Safety Plan in Kroonstad.
Mr Selamolela has called on authorities to show neither leniency nor sympathy on transgressing drivers who disregard all other fellow drivers on the road.
“These high numbers in just the second week of the festive season are just unacceptable and an antithesis of our Festive Road Safety Plan. The committee condemns the irresponsible driver behaviour and a stern action should be taken. It is time we jailed drivers and confiscate their licences.”
He said if no serious commitment is demonstrated to curb the accidents, poor South Africans will continue to die for no reason. “
He added: “These accidents and rogue driver behaviour have become normalised in our society and that must stop before further bloodshed.”
The committee sends its deepest and heartfelt condolences to all victims of road accidents, and to families of all those who have succumbed to death.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, MR DONALD SELAMOLELA.
For media enquiries contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Mr Sibongile Maputi
Cell: 081 052 6060
email: smaputi@parliament.gov.za
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