KZN road fatalities drop as RTI intensifies festive season roadblock blitz
WITH nearly 4,000 vehicles stopped and over 1,500 drunk driving arrests, KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate authorities are determined to prevent more preventable road deaths during the holiday period.
Image: KZN Department of Transport
The KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) has stopped 3 979 vehicles since 1 December as part of the intensified festive-season road safety operation, which authorities say is already delivering historic results.
Transport MEC Siboniso Duma, who joined RTI officers on the ground at 2am on Wednesday morning, said the province could not afford to lose more lives to preventable road crashes.
Duma noted that on December 1, 2024, the province recorded nine crashes and nine fatalities, while on December 1, 2025, the figure had declined to two fatalities, a reduction he described as encouraging but still unacceptable.
"Every death is one too many. It is for this reason that RTI is clamping down on motorists found to be violating traffic rules," Duma said.
According to RTI:
- 3 979 vehicles have been stopped since 1 December, of which 51 were unlicensed.
- 111 motorists were charged for speeding.
- More than 1 561 motorists have been arrested for drunk driving between 15 August and 1 December 2025, all of whom have already appeared in court.
The KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate has entered the festive season with promising results with road fatalities dropping from nine to two, for the August and October period, compared to last year. Transport MEC Siboniso Duma has promised to intensify the road safety blitz that has from August 15 this year, nabbed more than 1500 motorists who were driving under the influence of alcohol.
Image: KZN Department of Transport
The department also released comparative crash statistics, reflecting improvements in road safety over the past year:
Fatal crashes (August–October):
- 2024: 502
- 2025: 478 (5% decrease)
Fatalities (August–October):
- 2024: 582
- 2025: 553 (5% decrease)
Duma said the figures demonstrate that the province’s enforcement and awareness campaigns are starting to make an impact, but urged motorists to exercise caution as holiday traffic peaks.
RTI officers will continue operating roadblocks and high-visibility patrols around the clock throughout December. The KwaZulu-Natal RTI's high visibility roadblock blitz, Nenzani La eZweni (What Are You Doing in the Country) has dominated social media discourse ever since they intensified their roadblock blitz that have targeted the popular entertainment strip, Florida Road, the South Coast, North Coast, Newcastle, eMpangeni and some suburbs like uMhlanga Rocks and Westville.
On top of that the department has vowed to fine motorists or impound their vehicles for failing to migrate from the old town-specific number plates which became obsolete after the November 30 cut-off date.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE