A case of reckless driving has since been opened. Chief Director at the Provincial Traffic Department Jane Mulaudzi has commended the traffic law enforcement officers for the arrest.
N1 Limpopo
RECKLESS DRIVER ARRESTED ON N1 MODIMOLLE
She has called on motorists to adhere to the road rules and avoid causing accidents.
Mulaudzi said that the province has deployed its teams of law enforcement officers on all major roads to ensure the safety of all motorists.
At Least eight people have died in a horrible accident on the N1 in Matoks, Limpopo on Saturday evening. Thirteen others were rushed to hospital, one of them is in critical condition.
The accident occurred on the N1 near RDP houses in the Capricorn District.
According to reports, a BMW collided head-on with a Toyota Quantum, where eight lives perished on the scene. The fatal accident includes two children, two females, and four males, of which two are drivers of the BMW and the taxi.
One passenger was in a life-threatening condition, seven with serious injuries, and four with minor injuries.
N1 MATOKS ACCIDENT CLAIMS EIGHT LIVES
MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Florence Radzilani has sent her condolences to the bereaved families.
“This accident comes during a time when as a province, we are still mourning from the accident that occurred at Musina last week,” she said.
“Our people in the Province should be very careful while traveling to their different destinations. We continue to lose lives on our roads and all of us should be concerned and promote road safety during our journeys,” said MEC Radzilani.
Radzilani also highlighted that people around the province should be extra careful during this long weekend. She urged all law enforcement officers to ensure that people comply while traveling.
Six people have been confirmed dead while four others were critically injured during a horrific accident on the N1 outside Louis Trichardt in Limpopo on Thursday evening. A taxi and a truck reportedly collided head-on after around 23:00.
The accident happened approximately 7 kilometres outside of Louis Trichardt in the Soutpansberg Mountain Pass, Makhado.
A truck, traveling south, collided head-on with a taxi after the truck’s brakes apparently failed.
It is alleged that the truck drove over the taxi. Six passengers, including three babies, died at the scene. The truck driver and his passenger managed to escape with minor injuries. The taxi was travelling to Zimbabwe when the accident occurred.
Wreckage of N1 accident in Limpopo
The accident resulted in the closure of the N1 for hours to allow clean-up operations to take place. By Friday morning, traffic in both directions was backed up for several kilometres while the N1 was completely closed off. Single-lane traffic was allowed through just after 08:00.
SIX PEOPLE PERISH IN HORRIFIC N1 ACCIDENT IN LOUIS TRICHARDT
As a result of the accident, workers who were commuting from Musina, Louis Trichardt, Polokwane, and Nzhelele arrived at work late.
Others were found walking long distances to get to work. According to one driver who was traveling to Zimbabwe, they had to sleep next to the road because it was closed.
UPDATE – There has been heavy traffic reported on Easter Monday in Limpopo including the N1 as motorists return back to their respective provinces.
This includes the highway heading to Gauteng, R101, R71, R81, the R579 from Lebowakgomo to Apel cross. D4100 from Apelcross to Groblersdal and Marblehall.
Gates at the Nyl and Kranskop Toll Plaza have been opened several times today to clear southbound congestion on the N1.
Impatient drivers are warned against driving on the yellow lane and/or facing oncoming traffic.
MOTORISTS ADVICED TO KEEP DISTANCE ON N1
Especially at tollgates, as this might cause accidents that will congest traffic further. They have also been cautioned to maintain a safe following distance at all times.
Dial 0800 006 694 to report traffic emergencies in Limpopo
Traffic volumes have increased on major roads leading out of Limpopo province since Sunday night leading up to Easter Monday.
A lot of activity was picked up on the N1, southbound towards Gauteng, the R101, R71, R81, and the R579 from Lebowakgomo to Apelcross. Also the D4100 from Apelcross to Groblersdal and Marblehall.
LIMPOPO EASTER MONDAY TRAFFIC UPDATE
Other areas within the province are reporting low to moderate traffic. All busy roads are being monitored by traffic officers on visible patrol.
Easter Monday traffic update
Drivers travelling back out of the province are advised to leave their departure points early. Preferably during the daytime, and not drive at night, as the majority of the crashes occur at night when visibility is impaired.
LIMPOPO MOTORISTS ADVISED TO DRIVE WITH CAUTION
*Drive with caution, avoid the use of a cell phone whilst driving, maintain a safe following distance. Take regular breaks, and look out for pedestrians at all times.
Dial 0800 006 694 to report traffic emergencies in Limpopo
There was slightly heavy traffic on the N1 overnight into Good Friday morning while there was also heavy traffic on the R71 from Polokwane to Moria.
MODERATE TRAFFIC ON N1 AND R71 MORIA ON GOOD FRIDAY
But the traffic on both roads has since slowed down. There was congestion at Kranskop Toll Plaza this morning, however, gates were open for free to ease it. It is, however, flowing, with no reports of congestion.
Traffic is getting heavy on the N1 from Hammanskraal to Polokwane, with more than 1600 vehicles passing through Kranskop Toll Plaza at 17h00 due to Limpopo Easter Weekend.
More are vehicles are expected later in the evening.
The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety is sufficiently braced for high easter weekend traffic volumes expected in the province over the next few days.
The Transport Regulation team has already started to heighten visibility to curb infringements and encourage good driver behaviour with Pre-Easter traffic law enforcement roadblocks and speed operations on critical roads across the province.
EASTER WEEKEND TRAFFIC
Law enforcement officers will be working around the clock between the sixth and 10th of April. To maximize visibility and aid the flow of traffic. Especially on critical routes prone to congestion. These include the N1 especially around tollgates, R101, R510, R516, N11, R37, R555, R521, R524, R523, R36, R40, R71, R81, P277/1. Matlala road, some local routes, and the two border posts in the province, that is Beitbridge and Groblersbrug in Sekhukhune.
NYL Plaza Tollgate in Mokopane
Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Florence Radzilani has called on all road users to ensure everyone’s safety over the long weekend.
MEC Radzilani also urges law enforcement officials to continue to conduct their work with diligence. Ensure that road users follow the rules and that those who engage in criminal activities are brought to book.
“As we approach the Easter long weekend, it is our wish as the Provincial Government, that we should all arrive alive. However, road safety starts with all of us.”
“As we embark on our journeys, let us make sure that our cars are roadworthy, and we keep a safe following distance. We do not overtake at unsafe places, we do not drink and drive, and we rest enough on long journeys. Pedestrians must wear visible colours at night, and keep away from the road. Let’s all arrive alive,” said MEC Radzilani.
A total of five stolen and hijacked motor vehicles, including a delivery truck have been recovered by the Police this weekend in Limpopo.
This was during a heightened safer festive season operations conducted across the Province from Friday 16 December 2022 until Sunday morning.
In one of the recoveries, the Scania truck that was allegedly hijacked in Johannesburg on Thursday, was intercepted along the N1, Bandelierkop on Friday. The truck was being driven from the direction of Polokwane towards Makhado by a 33 year old suspect. He was immediately arrested.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the truck, with two trailers, was fully laden with a cargo of cooking oil worth thousands of rands.
Hijacked motor vehicle
HIJACKED MOTOR VEHICLES
In another unrelated Incident, a Toyota Raider was reportedly hijacked from its 33-year-old owner at Maila village in Vhembe District. It was later recovered in Munzhedzi village on Friday night 2022-12-16 by Bandelierkop Police . It is reported that the victim was accosted by three suspects armed with firearms who drove away with the vehicle
In another successful operation the Police in Marble Hall recovered a stolen motor vehicle on a roadblock. It was reported stolen in Benoni SAPS in Gauteng and arrested a male suspect.
In Thohoyandou, the Police reacted to the information about a white Volkswagen Polo that was hijacked in Thohoyandou CBD. The said motor vehicle was recovered at Mavhunda village following a search operation. No suspects were found. The vehicle was found with a bullet hole on the right door and the driver’s window was smashed. A search for the suspects continues.
In Mopani District under Mokwakwaila policing area, a 37-year-old victim was allegedly robbed of his motor vehicle. A Mercedes Benz at gunpoint by four unknown male suspects in Motsinoni village in Mokwakwaila Policing area on Friday 16 December 2022. The Police subsequently recovered the vehicle. They arrested one of the suspects the next day on Saturday 17 December 2022 in Acornhoek policing precinct in Mpumalanga. The other three suspects also evaded the arrest.
POLICE COMMISSIONER REACT
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has commended the members for continuing to give effect on the implementation of the Safer Festive Season Operations.
“As we also put more boots on the ground to ensure enhanced Police visibility during this period. We urge our communities to continue assisting in the fight against all forms of crime by providing valuable information,” said Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.
A total of three suspects were arrested during these operations. They are expected to appear before various courts on Monday 19 December 2022. They face charges of possession of suspected stolen properties. More charges could be added as investigations are unfolding.
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