Limpopo MEC warns against drunk driving ahead of busy Polokwane weekend

Limpopo’s Transport and Community Safety MEC, Susana Violet Mathye, has urged motorists to prioritise safety as Polokwane prepares for a busy weekend marked by major entertainment and sporting events.

The city is expected to draw thousands of visitors for the Annual Festive Lights Celebrations at Civic Centre Park, the Metro FM Heatwave at the cricket grounds, and the sold-out Carling Black Label Cup final between Orlando Pirates and Marumo Gallants.

Mathye said the province is fully prepared for the influx of travellers, with the Festive Season Road-Safety Campaign now officially under way. This follows the unveiling of 79 new law-enforcement vehicles 53 allocated to Limpopo Traffic and 26 to the South African Police Service boosting the province’s capacity for visible policing on major routes and within Polokwane.

She warned that drunk driving will not be tolerated, especially during the festive period.

“Officers will be everywhere from the N1 to the streets around Civic Centre Park and Phuza Weekend operations are intensified,” Mathye said.

Mathye encouraged motorists to avoid alcohol completely before driving, rest every two hours, and ensure vehicles are roadworthy by checking tyres, brakes and lights. Speeding, failing to buckle up and fatigue remain leading contributors to crashes during peak travel periods, she said.

Mathye appealed to residents and visitors to cooperate with law-enforcement officials and to report reckless driving through provincial hotlines. She urged all road users saying: “ to arrive alive, to remember that their families need them,”