South Africa is getting more roadblocks

Some provinces and the national Department of Transport have launched or plan to launch stricter policing campaigns targeting cars with specific defects to improve the safety of South Africa's roads.

South Africa's road safety crisis has reached critical levels, with unroadworthy vehicles significantly contributing to the high number of accidents.

To address this growing concern, the government is ramping up its efforts through more frequent roadblocks and stricter enforcement of traffic laws.

By 2025, the Department of Transport (DoT) plans to implement a 24/7 traffic policing system, which will increase the visibility of officers and enhance law enforcement across the country.

One of the most notable initiatives is the Johannesburg Metro Police Department's (JMPD) new "three-strike" system.

Under this policy, any vehicle found with three or more critical defects during a roadblock will be immediately impounded.

This includes vehicles with issues such as:

These faults make vehicles unsafe for the road and contribute to many avoidable accidents.

The JMPD's firm stance underscores that compliance is non-negotiable, and drivers must ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained to avoid legal consequences and protect public safety.

The push for stricter enforcement comes amid troubling road safety statistics in South Africa.

Although there has been a slight decline in road fatalities—from 12,554 in 2020 to 11,883 in 2023—the numbers remain alarmingly high.

Approximately 34 people die each day on South African roads, and human error accounts for 80% of fatalities during peak travel times like the festive season.

The condition of vehicles is also a major contributor, with around 10% of registered vehicles deemed unroadworthy.

With an average vehicle age of 11 years, many are poorly maintained, posing serious risks not only to drivers but also to pedestrians and other road users.

To tackle these issues, the DoT has committed to expanding the 24/7 shift system for traffic officers.

By March 2025, this system will be operational nationwide, ensuring continuous law enforcement and aiming to curb the lawlessness that has plagued the country's roads.

Currently, only the Western Cape and the National Traffic Police have adopted this shift schedule, but the plan is to extend it across all provinces, particularly in high-accident zones.

This continuous policing will target both reckless driving and unroadworthy vehicles, aiming to reduce fatalities and make the roads safer for everyone.

In addition to these measures, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) is focused on professionalising traffic law enforcement.

A new training initiative will require officers to have a post-matric diploma, raising the standard of policing.

The RTMC also emphasised the economic cost of poor road safety, which is estimated to drain R200 billion annually from the South African economy.

The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) has welcomed the decline in fatalities but insists that more needs to be done.

The association has repeatedly called for increased law enforcement and year-round public education campaigns to address reckless driving and vehicle safety.

The government has responded by allocating budget resources for recruiting and training new officers and enhancing road safety campaigns.

In summary, South Africa is facing a serious road safety crisis, with unroadworthy vehicles being a key factor in the high rate of road accidents.

The government's new roadblock strategies and the shift to 24/7 policing, alongside stricter enforcement measures like the three-strike system, aim to tackle these challenges head-on.

These initiatives are crucial steps in reducing the number of road accidents and saving lives in the country.