The top speed caught by traffic police over the festive season in South Africa

South Africa’s festive season roads once again became scenes of tragedy and reckless behaviour, as highlighted by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy in her address on the 2024/25 road statistics.

Creecy expressed disappointment at the rise in fatalities and crashes during the period, attributing much of the blame to human behaviour.

An alarming example of this recklessness came from Gauteng, where a driver was clocked at a staggering 245km/h on the N1 near Honeydew on 18 December 2024 while driving a BMW sedan.

This was the highest speed recorded by traffic authorities over the festive season.

The numbers paint a grim picture.

A total of 1,502 lives were lost in 1,234 crashes, marking a 5.3% increase in fatalities and a 4.2% rise in crashes compared to the previous festive season.

Creecy called this a disappointing regression after years of steady progress in reducing road deaths. Six provinces—KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and North West—reported an increase in fatalities, further emphasizing the scale of the problem.

Human behaviour was identified as the primary cause of 87% of crashes. Factors included hit-and-runs, jaywalking, driving while fatigued, speeding, drunk driving, and dangerous overtaking.

Creecy stressed the urgent need for a shift in mindset among both drivers and pedestrians. “The number of people dying has gone up because of bad behaviour.

We’ve warned people, but too many drivers and pedestrians still act irresponsibly,” she said.

The high number of speed-related arrests during the festive period shockingly illustrates this irresponsibility.

Traffic authorities arrested 414 drivers for speeding, with five of them driving at speeds ranging from 200km/h to well above 240km/h.

Creecy’s call for stricter enforcement reflects the gravity of such violations.

Penalty for speeding

Speeding offences in South Africa are subject to a graded system of fines.

The country allows a 10km/h tolerance over the speed limit to account for minor calibration discrepancies in vehicle speedometers. To exceed the limit by 10-15km/h, the minimum fine is R250, with an additional R250 for every 5km/h increment.

Once a driver exceeds the limit by 36-40km/h, the maximum fine of R1,500 is imposed.

Speeds beyond this threshold result in arrest, and the driver must appear before a public prosecutor.

Drivers caught exceeding the speed limit by 10-40km/h may face an “Admission of Guilt” fine, allowing them to pay a monetary penalty without a court appearance.

However, those caught driving more than 40km/h over the limit are issued a “Non-Admission of Guilt” notice.

In these cases, the fine amount is determined by a public prosecutor during a court trial. Depending on the severity of the offence and the prosecutor’s discretion, offenders may also face a prison sentence.

Creecy underscored the importance of holding reckless drivers accountable.

“On behalf of the national Department of Transport, provincial MECs and their departments, and all law enforcement agencies, I call on the courts to treat these cases with the seriousness they deserve,” she said.

“There must be consequences for drivers who break the law with wanton disregard for the lives of other road users, whether it is for speeding, drunk driving, or any other offence which warrants arrest and prosecution.”

The festive season’s statistics serve as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by reckless driving and the urgent need for stricter road safety measures to prevent further loss of life.