Concern over increase in pedestrian deaths

The Gauteng Department of Community Safety says 70% of road fatalities this weekend involved pedestrians. 

The department says this is due to alcohol and pedestrians using gadgets and headphones while walking.

MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane says there is an increase in road fatalities despite heightened law enforcement across the province.

"Despite all efforts to ensure the reduction of road accidents the province has to date recorded an alarming rate of 70 % pedestrian fatalities this Easter weekend, she says. "We remain concerned as law enforcement authorities, as one death is one too many."

ALSO READ: 11 killed on Limpopo roads in one night

Nkosi-Malobane says there will be a strong police and metro police presence across the province for the remainder of the weekend. 

"We have pleaded with the metro police department that they need to deploy more people on the urban roads because that is the responsibility of local government. 

"We will still maintain the high visibility in all our hazardous location as well as our major roads, in this case the highways. Just so we don't experience any serious accidents on those routes."