Easter Weekend Road Deaths Decline

 The Western Cape Government is encouraged by the slight decline in road-related fatalities over the 2025 Easter weekend, but continues to urge all road users to make responsible choices on the road, especially as another long weekend approaches. Teams from the Western Cape Government’s Mobility Department and the Department of Health and Wellness were out in full force across the province to assist road users, enforce road safety, and respond to emergencies during the peak travel period.

Between 17 and 21 April 2025, a total of 22 fatal crashes were recorded in the Western Cape, resulting in 22 lives lost. This marks a decline compared with the 26 road-related fatalities reported over the 2024 Easter period.

Of the 22 lives lost this year, 14 fatalities occurred on municipal roads and 8 on provincial routes, with the majority of these incidents taking place within the Cape Metro:

• 14 pedestrians
• 5 passengers
• 2 drivers
• 1 motorcyclist

The Western Cape Mobility Department’s Provincial Traffic Services conducted 784 integrated operations across the province during this period, including roadblocks, vehicle check points and speed control operations. As a result:

• Over 30 000 vehicles were stopped and checked
• Just over 19 000 fines were issued for various offences
• 8,714 speeding violations were recorded
• 226 arrests were made, of which 181 were for driving under the influence of alcohol

Between 07:00 on Friday to 07:00 on Tuesday, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) logged a total of 7,988 incidents. The most frequent calls were for:

• Non-cardiac related pain: 1,505
• Respiratory complaints: 1,049
• Assault-related injuries: 597

Transport-related emergencies included:

• 85 pedestrian vehicle accidents
• 104 motor vehicle accidents
• 5 incidents involving cyclists

Hospitals across the province also managed high volumes at their emergency centres. At the Hospital Emergency Centre Trauma Information System (HECTIS) reporting sites (*see footnote below), 16,395 patient episodes were recorded over the weekend period (00:00 Friday to 08:00 Tuesday). Of these:

• 3,624 were trauma-related cases
• 12,476 were non-trauma cases

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) also responded to a number of fatalities over the Easter weekend:

• 23 fatal shootings
• 6 confirmed suicides
• 1 drowning

This sustained demand across services reflects the critical role played by healthcare and forensic workers throughout the province.

Every emergency call, hospital presentation, and forensic case represents a human life touched by tragedy. We remain deeply mindful of the burden borne by both our staff and affected families during this time.

Minister Mireille Wenger said, “The sustained demand on our healthcare services highlights the vital role our healthcare workers play across the province – responding with skill, compassion, and unwavering dedication. Each call and each hospital visit represents a person in crisis. We are deeply aware of the emotional and physical toll this takes – not only on our staff, but also on affected families. Preventing trauma is a shared responsibility. “We urge residents to continue practising road safety, avoid abusing alcohol, and treat healthcare workers with respect. A safer province is only possible when we all do our part. Thank you to our EMS and hospital teams who worked throughout the long weekend, and for the care and commitment you continue to show our residents.”

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones who lost someone on our roads this weekend. While it is encouraging to see a reduction in road fatalities this Easter compared to last year, we must not lose sight of the fact that every life lost is one too many. All road users are reminded that safety is a shared responsibility. Please obey road rules, avoid reckless behaviour, and ensure that you are fit to drive, not tired or under the influence” said Muneera Allie, Head of Communication for the Western Cape Mobility Department.

The Western Cape Government extends its sincere appreciation to all Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Emergency Centre (EC), and Forensic Pathology Services (FPS) teams, as well as Provincial and Municipal Traffic Law Enforcement officers, for their unwavering dedication and hard work over the Easter weekend. Your tireless efforts, often under challenging circumstances, ensured that we could respond swiftly to emergencies, support road safety operations, and provide critical care where it was needed most.

The Western Cape Government will continue to prioritise the safety of all road users through enforcement, education, and partnerships across all spheres of government.