Over 3 400 officers deployed for KZN Easter road safety campaign

Over 3 400 officers deployed for KZN Easter road safety campaign More than 3 483 law enforcement officers, supported by over 105 national traffic police officers, have been deployed across KwaZulu-Natal for the Easter holidays and Passover long weekend. KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma announced the deployment during the launch of the province’s road safety campaign this week, at the Umdloti Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) Centre. The campaign commenced with inspections of public transport vehicles, with 17 buses and minibus taxis checked by 9am. Four vehicles were also impounded by teams from Operation Shanela and the Road Traffic Inspectorate. Duma said a multi-disciplinary roadblock conducted in KwaMashu, in partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS), eThekwini Metro Police and other stakeholders, had set the tone for intensified enforcement in the coming weeks. He added that newly appointed Head of Department Zibusiso Dlamini was leading a team that would strengthen the Nenzani La Ezweni Operation at 17 provincial weighbridge sites. “The most vehicles weighed at a single weighbridge were 40 441 vehicles at the Midway weighbridge, with an average of 3 370 vehicles weighed per month. We have already impounded trucks that were overloads and those that we intercepted moving up and down with fake registration documents,” Duma said. He said the department was exploring the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate weighing processes, improve accuracy, and curb fraud through features like automated number plate recognition, real-time data analytics, and anomaly detection. Duma said the province had set a target of 10% reduction in road fatalities during the Easter and Passover long weekend. He noted that during Easter 2025, KwaZulu-Natal recorded a 38% decrease in fatalities compared to 43% recorded in 2024. “We have deployed more than 3 483 law enforcement officers and 105 national traffic police officers, who will be operating 24 hours a day, and seven days a week, until 3 May 2026,” Duma said. Intensified enforcement measures The department has outlined a series of interventions to enhance road safety, and these include: •    Roadblocks and compliance checks: A total of 148 multidisciplinary roadblocks will be conducted, including more than 80 operations specifically targeting drunk driving. •    Speed enforcement: Over 118 speed operations will be conducted in high-risk areas and zones frequented by holidaymakers and worshippers. •    Interprovincial operations: More than 17 interprovincial roadblocks will be undertaken by roving law enforcement teams. •    Scholar transport monitoring: Authorities will conduct over 91 operations focusing on scholar transport during the holiday period. Duma warned that unroadworthy vehicles, including taxis, will be removed from the roads, with enforcement also targeting both drivers and vehicle owners. In a first for the province, the department will introduce 28 pedestrian enforcement operations to clamp down against drunk pedestrians walking on busy roads. “We will also penalise pedestrians who fail to use pedestrian bridges on various routes.” Duma said the department was expecting a surge in traffic volumes, with between 1 500 and 2 000 vehicles per hour expected to pass through the province’s tollgates from Thursday, 2 April 2026. He urged all road users to exercise caution and comply with traffic regulations to ensure a safer holiday period. – SAnews.gov.za GabiK Sat, 03/28/2026 - 07:00 196 views

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