Data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation shows that pedestrians accounted for 45% of total road fatalities in 2023, with 5,360 pedestrian deaths recorded that year out of 11,883 total fatalities. In 2025, the country recorded 11,418 road fatalities.
During the 2024/2025 festive season, pedestrians made up 41% of all road fatalities. Preliminary figures for the 2025/2026 festive season, covering 1 December 2025 to 11 January 2026, indicate that pedestrians comprised 44% of the 1,427 total fatalities recorded from 1,172 crashes. Easter 2025 data showed pedestrians accounting for 40.3% of road fatalities.
Quarterly reports have recorded pedestrian proportions ranging from 44.4% to 46.7%. In the fourth quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, pedestrians represented 46.7% of fatalities.
Urban districts have recorded particularly high numbers of pedestrian fatalities. In the 2025/2026 festive season, the top districts included the City of Cape Town, City of Johannesburg, eThekwini, Nkangala District, and City of Tshwane. Provinces with consistently high pedestrian fatality percentages include Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape.
Pedestrian fatalities occur disproportionately at night and in conditions of reduced visibility. Official reports identify key contributing factors including speeding by motorists, pedestrians crossing outside designated areas, alcohol impairment among both drivers and pedestrians, and inadequate infrastructure such as pavements, crossings, and street lighting.
Crashes involving pedestrians have accounted for more than 30% of fatal crash types in some periods, with “accident with pedestrian” frequently ranking as one of the leading crash types.
The 25 to 44 age group has constituted the largest share of pedestrian fatalities, often exceeding 45% and reaching 48.17% in certain quarterly data and 46.3% during Easter 2025. Children have accounted for approximately 10% to 15% of pedestrian deaths in various reporting periods.
Road safety reports from the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the Department of Transport note that human factors, including driver behaviour and pedestrian actions, remain primary contributors to these incidents. Speed too high for prevailing conditions and jaywalking feature prominently among recorded causes.
These statistics are drawn from annual, festive season, Easter, and quarterly reports compiled by the Road Traffic Management Corporation up to early 2026. Pedestrian deaths continue to represent one of the most significant challenges in national road safety efforts.
Helen Zille Takes a Dip in Johannesburg Pothole to Highlight Infrastructure Failures
Johannesburg – Democratic Alliance Federal Council chairperson and Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille waded into a large water-filled pothole in the city on Monday, 30 March 2026, to spotlight ongoing infrastructure and service delivery challenges.
The pothole resulted from a burst pipe that had reportedly been repaired previously but failed again. In footage she shared, Zille referred to the moment as her “afternoon swim” and noted the absence of any maintenance plan, observing that the crater continued to expand despite earlier interventions.
Zille, serving as the DA’s candidate for mayor of Johannesburg ahead of the 2026 municipal elections, used the unconventional action to draw public attention to persistent problems including deteriorating roads, recurring water leaks, and broader municipal infrastructure decay.
The footage captured Zille navigating the flooded pothole while commenting on the lack of proper upkeep. In recent weeks, she has documented multiple similar issues across Johannesburg, including burst pipes that waste large volumes of potable water, sinkholes, and sewage spills in areas such as the CBD and suburbs like Melville and Linbro Park.
Her campaign has repeatedly highlighted cases where clean drinking water is lost through leaks while residents experience water shortages and are urged to conserve usage. Zille has walked through affected streets, pointing out clusters of potholes, sinkholes, and leaks as evidence of systemic failures in road and water management.
Zille was announced as the DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate in September 2025. Her platform centres on restoring basic services, repairing critical infrastructure, and addressing the impact of unstable coalitions on effective city governance.
The event reflects wider public dissatisfaction with Johannesburg’s road network and water infrastructure. Water-filled potholes caused by burst pipes have become a frequent occurrence in many neighbourhoods, often remaining unaddressed for long periods.
Zille’s action did not include any specific call for immediate personal intervention but focused instead on raising awareness of these recurring municipal shortcomings. She has consistently framed her candidacy around delivering practical fixes to the service delivery crises affecting residents daily.
As Johannesburg approaches the 2026 local government elections, the image of a mayoral candidate swimming in a pothole has brought renewed focus to the scale of infrastructure problems confronting the city’s residents.
Foreign National Avoids Drunk Driving Charge at Durban Roadblock Despite Admitting to Drinking and Attempting to Bribe Metro Officer
A foreign national, identified as female in circulating video footage, was stopped during a routine vehicle check point operation conducted by the Durban Metropolitan Police Service in KwaZulu-Natal.
At the roadblock, the woman admitted to having consumed alcohol. She then offered cash to a metro police officer in an apparent attempt to avoid further consequences related to the stop.
The officer immediately rejected the bribe offer and called out the attempt, following standard procedure by reporting it. A senior officer or police boss was involved in the interaction and took time to explain upcoming new laws to the woman.
According to accounts from the video and social media posts, the foreign national was not arrested and escaped a drunk driving charge. She was also not charged for the attempted bribery.
Under South African law, offering a bribe to a public official constitutes a criminal offence in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. Both offering and accepting a bribe are treated as serious offences, with officers required to document such attempts and proceed with formal charges where applicable.
No official statement from the Durban Metro Police Service has been released confirming details of the incident, including the exact date, the precise amount of cash offered, the woman’s nationality or identity, any breathalyser or blood alcohol test results, or reasons why no arrest or charges were pursued for either suspected drunk driving or bribery.
Circulating video footage of the interaction has been shared widely on social media platforms, often with disclaimers noting that the images and video are not owned by the accounts posting them and are used for educational and awareness purposes only.
The incident occurred amid broader roadblock operations in the Durban area and KwaZulu-Natal, where metro police, Road Traffic Inspectorate, and other agencies conduct enforcement actions targeting drunk driving and other traffic offences. In this specific case, the woman was allowed to proceed without arrest or charges following the rejected bribe attempt and the explanatory discussion.
No further confirmed details on any subsequent investigation, court proceedings, or official follow-up were available in public sources at the time of reporting.
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Chaos Erupts in KuGompo City as Protest Against Alleged Nigerian ‘King’ Coronation Turns Violent
KuGompo City, Eastern Cape – Monday, 30 March 2026
Violence broke out in KuGompo City (formerly East London) in the Eastern Cape on Monday when a protest against the reported coronation of a Nigerian national as “Igwe Ndigbo Na East London” escalated into unrest.
The demonstration was organised by the March and March movement, along with other civic groups, traditional leaders, and political parties including ActionSA. It followed the circulation of videos and photographs on social media earlier in March 2026 showing the crowning of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko as “Igwe Ndigbo” in the area.
The Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) rejected the alleged inauguration, stating that it did not follow constitutional processes or local traditional protocols. The department and the provincial House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders distanced themselves from the event, describing it as irregular and illegitimate. Traditional leaders, including those from the amaRharhabe Kingdom, also condemned the ceremony as disrespectful to established customary authority.
The protest began peacefully but brought traffic to a standstill in parts of KuGompo City. It later turned volatile, with reports of clashes between demonstrators and authorities. Protesters set vehicles alight, including panel vans, bakkies, and trucks. Eastern Cape police confirmed that 12 cars were damaged during the unrest. Other accounts indicated that at least 13 vehicles were set on fire, while some reports mentioned up to 15 vehicles burnt and a higher number damaged.
Video footage from the scene showed vehicles burning and crowds confronting police. Police deployed stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators. Several buildings, some allegedly belonging to foreign nationals, were also torched or vandalised. Shops in the area reportedly closed as tensions rose.
One person was stabbed and hospitalised during the events. Confrontations involving different groups, including reports of attacks on protesters by individuals in a vehicle, were also noted.
The March and March movement, led by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, participated in the KuGompo protest as part of its ongoing campaigns on immigration and citizen prioritisation. The group has held similar demonstrations in other provinces, including a recent large gathering in Durban.
Authorities worked to restore order in the affected areas. Protesters later regrouped at City Hall, where they were expected to submit a memorandum.
As of Monday evening, full details on the exact number of arrests, total injuries, or comprehensive damage assessments had not been released by police. Investigations into the incidents were ongoing.
The unrest occurred on the same day as separate marches in the Eastern Cape linked to Human Rights Day observances by the ANC and allies, though those events were not connected to the KuGompo protest.
This report is compiled from official statements, police confirmations, and multiple eyewitness and media accounts of the events on 30 March 2026. Further updates are expected as more information becomes available.
