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Cape Town - Despite attempts to curb the amounts of road accidents and deaths over the festive season, 23 people have lost their lives across South Africa's roads over the weekend.
The death toll in the Western Cape this weekend alone sits at 11 following one of the biggest of the road accidents thus far for the season along the notorious stretch of N1 outside of Beaufort-West on Sunday, 21 December.
Also See: SA festive season road trip: Road works to be aware of
In the major accident mentioned above, which occurred on the N1 between Beaufort West and Leeu-Gamka, Provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said that 9 adults were burnt beyond recognition and a child died in hospital later after a taxi and a delivery vehicle collided. Africa described the incident to IOL News saying that it was a chaotic scene on the road.
Transport MEC Donald Grant said they were investigating the cause of the crash with the police and the Road Traffic Management Corporation. He said that he would like to extend the deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this horrific crash, on behalf of the Western Cape government.
Four pedestrians were also killed along Western Cape roads. The people were knocked down on the R60 between Robertson and Worcester, in Harare in Khayelitsha, in Mowbray and the Cape Winelands.
Also See: Beware of crime on Cape Town's N2 this festive season
In KwaZulu-Natal this weekend's road accidents rose to at least 13 people killed, according to Eyewitness News. In the latest report from News24, five people lost their lives when a vehicle overturned and caught alight in Escourt, while in an accident on the N2 northbound towards Amanzimtoti three people lost their lives.Despite the many road accidents, 109 people were arrested for drunken driving in Gauteng this weekend. Johannesburg metro police department head Steven Jonkers said drunken driving was the biggest concern on the Gauteng roads and that the metro police will apply the law to its full force to stop the recklessness. He warned that they are not going to have mercy on these drivers.
While ENCA reports the Eastern Cape has had the most road fatalities so far, according to a report by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
In totals detailing the first week of December the Eastern Cape recorded (28), KwaZulu-Natal (20), North West (13), Free State (13), Western Cape (10), Gauteng (9), Mpumalanga (8), Limpopo (8) and Northern Cape (6) fatalities. A total of 115 fatalities have been recorded over the period.
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