[imagesource: Reatile Moalusi]

Between December 1, 2020, and January 11, 2021, more than 1 450 people died on South Africa’s roads.

Every Saffa should know that it is dangerous to get behind the wheel during the festive season as our roads remain notoriously treacherous.

The Road Accident Fund (RAF) recently sent out a reminder of the most dangerous roads in South Africa, listing routes going to and from the Eastern Cape and Limpopo as the deadliest, per IOL.

The RAF said it got the data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), but the RTMC has picked it apart, reported Business Insider SA:

“[The] list of so-called dangerous roads does not seem to accord with the manner in which we determine hazardous roads, and it seems inaccurate,” Simon Zwane, the RTMC’s chief communication officer, told Business Insider South Africa.

“Our methodology for calculating hazardous routes does not state the number of kilometres as stated on this report. We only look at the segment of the road where the highest number of fatal crashes are reported.”

Here’s the list for your brief consideration, which the RAF since deleted from Twitter:

Image: Road Accident Fund

Rather, according to the RTMC, these are the five most dangerous roads during the festive season:

1. Eastern Cape: N2 along Dutywa

The stretch of N2 highway between Butterworth and Mthatha, passing through the town of Dutywa, is regarded as the most dangerous road during the festive season. It also forms part of the main route between East London and Mthatha, which was also been cited by the RAF as South Africa’s most dangerous road.

2. Eastern Cape: R61 along Mbizana

The R61 features prominently in the RTMC’s list of Hazardous Road Segments. This specific stretch of road passing through Mbizana runs parallel to the Eastern Cape’s border with KwaZulu-Natal. It’s part of the route connecting Port Edward with Kokstad.

3. Eastern Cape: N2 along Mount Ayliff

This section of highway, passing through Mount Frere and Mount Ayliff, connects Mthatha and Kokstad. It’s a stretch of road which extends from East London and Butterworth, making most of the N2 in the Eastern Cape a particularly dangerous segment.

4. Eastern Cape: R61 along Mzamba

The stretch of road concerns the coastal portion of the R61 further south of previously mentioned Mbizana which connects Port Edward with Kokstad

5. Limpopo: R71 along Mankweng

The R71 in Limpopo connects Polokwane with Tzaneen and sees an influx of motorists over the festive period. Many of these are cross border travellers, either leaving or coming back to South Africa.

You can see the full list of 10 here.

Wherever you find yourself this festive season, drive safely.

[sources:businessinsidersa&iol]