Seven people, including a child, have lost their lives in a horrific multi-vehicle collision on the N2 near Qonce. This devastating tragedy has once again left families shattered and communities in mourning.
Preliminary reports indicate that a Toyota Hilux collided with a Mercedes-Benz sedan before crashing into a Nissan Navara. Five occupants of the Hilux and both occupants of the Navara died at the scene. Two survivors were taken to the hospital. A case of culpable homicide has been opened.
The Democratic Alliance extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased and wishes those injured a full recovery. This tragedy again exposes the reality that high-risk corridors like the N2 remain lethal when dangerous driving goes unchecked.
In response to a parliamentary question, Transport MEC Xolile Nqatha confirmed that human factors accounted for 70 percent of fatal crashes during the festive season, with reckless driving, drunk driving, and fatigue identified as key causes.
The MEC also revealed that fatalities on high-risk routes such as the N2 and R61 accounted for around 60 percent of recorded deaths.
The recent festive season provides proof that focused deployment can disrupt dangerous behaviour. MEC Nqatha confirmed that enforcement is intensified on high-risk routes, with 24-hour deployments on critical days and RTMC night-time deployments between 18:00 and 06:00 to strengthen visibility.
That visible presence, combined with sobriety checkpoints and integrated operations, is exactly what deters reckless driving, reduces speeding, and removes drunk drivers from the road before they kill.
The Department must now commit to sustained, measurable 24-hour enforcement on high-risk corridors like the N2, with routine sobriety operations, visible patrol saturation during peak evening hours, and public reporting on enforcement outcomes. When the state is visible, behaviour changes. When enforcement disappears, reckless drivers return.
The DA will pursue a full report on enforcement visibility and patrol coverage on the N2 in the Qonce corridor, including whether night deployments and sobriety operations are being maintained outside peak periods, and what concrete interventions will be implemented to reduce fatalities on this route.
Eastern Cape families deserve to travel without fear. They deserve a transport and traffic enforcement system that prevents tragedy through consistent presence, credible deterrence, and real accountability.