Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, has launched a successful road safety campaign on the N3 Highway in Heidelberg, ahead of the popular Vodacom Durban July event.
Minister Mbalula joined members of the South African Police Service, National Traffic Police and Ekurhuleni Metro Police at a roadblock on Thursday.
Armed with a mobile vehicle testing centre and other tech machinery, law enforcement officials checked the condition of vehicles and drivers.
1262 vehicles went through the roadblock; two motorist were arrested for fraudulent and /or incorrect documentation, 23 un-roadworthy vehicles were impounded and 41 fines were issued for minor offences such as expired disks.
The July Handicap and related festivities take place in Durban on the weekend of 6 July 2019. The spectacle attracts thousands of revellers, many of which commute by road, via the N3 highway.
According to the N3 Toll Concession, about 16 000 vehicles travel on the N3 between Heidelberg and Cedara daily, the volume increase to 30 000 a day during peak holidays periods. On average, there are 3 crashes a day along that stretch of road, with 588 crashes recorded there between January and June 2019 alone.
The Minister encouraged law enforcement officials to be out in full force this weekend and urged motorists to travel with care.
