MEC urges road users to prioritise safety as Gauteng tackles road fatalities
The department said it is in the process of upgrading ageing bridges to improve safety, structural integrity and traffic flow.
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is ramping up its efforts to enhance road safety through a combination of targeted interventions, infrastructure upgrades, law enforcement, and public awareness campaigns. In the first quarter of 2026, South Africa reported 5,620 road fatalities, a decrease from 6,130 in the same period in 2025.
The department is upgrading aging bridges in Tshwane, Mogale City, and Sedibeng, as well as constructing a new R59 pedestrian bridge in Meyerton to improve safety and traffic flow. Additionally, repairs and improvements to the province's 5,592-kilometre road network, including surfaced and gravel roads, are underway.
Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, Gauteng's MEC for roads and transport, highlighted that these initiatives are supported by collaboration with municipalities, law enforcement agencies, traffic authorities, and communities, especially in high-crash areas. The department is also deploying smart transport technologies to improve traffic monitoring, incident management, and traffic regulation.
Motorists are reminded to exercise patience and caution as traffic volumes rise, always obey traffic rules, maintain safe distances, and avoid reckless driving.
Public transport operators, including taxi and bus drivers, are strongly advised not to pick up or drop off passengers on freeways, directing passengers only to designated areas such as taxi ranks, bus stops, and other approved safe zones. Pedestrians are urged to prioritize their safety by crossing roads only when safe, preferably at designated zones or controlled intersections, such as traffic lights and stoplights.
Diale-Tlabela emphasized that road safety remains a priority, and the Road Safety Strategy is expanding to address infrastructure risks across the province. She stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility affecting our communities, and every life lost on the roads is one too many. The MEC reiterated the department's commitment to practical interventions aimed at reducing crashes, protecting vulnerable road users, and ensuring safer travel across Gauteng.
Law enforcement officers will be deployed across major routes to monitor traffic flow and ensure compliance, urging all road users to take responsibility for their safety and the safety of others.
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