NATIONAL NEWS - Over 600 Western Cape provincial officers and more than 300 vehicles will be deployed across the Western Cape this festive season to ensure that residents and visitors travel safely across the province.
The purpose of this campaign is simple: to make sure every person using our roads feels safe, protected, and able to reach those important moments with friends and family.
This was revealed on Saturday 6 December, at the Western Cape Mobility Department’s 2025 Festive Season Road Safety launch event held in Beaufort West, one of the province’s busiest travel corridors.
The plan highlights the Western Cape Government’s commitment to going above and beyond to protect road users during the peak holiday period.
Our roads are connecting people coming together to celebrate, to find joy, to rest, relax and enjoy the company of loved ones. The Western Cape Government will be working night and day to ensure that our roads are safe.
Speaking at the launch, Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku said this year’s approach is designed to ensure that every resident and visitor reaches their destination safely.
“One life lost is one too many. We enter this festive season with an unwavering determination to ensure that everyone is safe on our roads. We have a comprehensive, well-coordinated plan, but we cannot do this alone. Road safety is up to all of us, so please follow the rules of the road and take frequent breaks.” said Minister Sileku.
“We want to see sons and daughters reunited with parents after a year at school. We want to see brothers meeting up after months apart working in different parts of the province. We want friends to meet in a coastal town and enjoy a braai together reflecting on the year that was, ” added Minister Sileku.
Key components of the festive season plan
The Western Cape has rolled out one of its most extensive safety operations to date. Core elements include:
- 665 traffic officers deployed around the clock across the province
- A fleet of over 300 traffic vehicles
- Fully operational Evidentiary Breath Alcohol Testing (EBAT) centres and mobile units for alcohol enforcement
- Mobile Vehicle Testing Units to monitor roadworthiness, especially in the public transport and freight sectors
- High-visibility patrols to reduce speeding, distracted driving and reckless behaviour
- Fatigue-management interventions along long-distance routes such as the N1, N2 and N7
- Targeted pedestrian safety operations in high-risk areas
The plan also includes joint efforts with SAPS, EMS, municipal traffic services, and various safety partners, ensuring a coordinated and rapid response to incidents. Weather and disaster contingencies form part of the integrated operational approach.
Throughout the festive period, the Department will run a multi-platform awareness and behaviour-change campaign focusing on fatigue, pedestrian safety, alcohol abuse, speeding, and vehicle fitness.
Enforcement alone cannot change behaviour. Every motorist, passenger and pedestrian has a role to play. Check your vehicle, rest often, be patient, be vigilant, and never drink and drive. Let us work together to ensure a safer festive season for all,” said Maxine Bezuidenhout, the Department’s Chief Director: Traffic Management.
Minister Sileku extended his appreciation to all officers and emergency teams working throughout the festive season. “I wish every traffic officer, SAPS member, EMS responder, municipal traffic officer, and disaster management team strength and safety during this period. Your commitment and sacrifice do not go unnoticed. You are the backbone of our road safety response, and we thank you for your service,” he said.
The Western Cape Government reminds all residents and visitors that road safety is a shared responsibility. Motorists are urged to rest between long trips, obey the rules of the road, ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, and respect the instructions of law enforcement officials.
Pedestrians are encouraged to use designated crossings, wear visible clothing, and avoid walking near roadways while intoxicated.
“Together, let us ensure that every journey ends safely. Let us all return safely home this festive season,” Minister Sileku concluded.
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