The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety has activated Operation Arrive Alive for the upcoming Freedom Day and Workers Day extended long weekends, from 25 April to 5 May 2026.
MEC Violet Mathye said the Department is building on the 24.7% decrease in fatalities achieved during the 2026 Easter period from 20 March to 13 April. “We turned the corner at Easter. We must not slide back. Freedom and Workers Day must be celebrated, not mourned,” said MEC Mathye.
High-risk environment
Both long weekends will see mass interprovincial travel on high-density routes including the N1, R101, R37, R81, R71, N11, R524, R518, and R33. Limpopo, together with Gauteng, KZN, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape, accounts for 75% of national crashes and 74% of fatalities.
Identified pressure points:
- Soweto Derby: Thousands of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates supporters will travel from Limpopo to Gauteng. Travel is often in groups via minibuses with risks of speeding, drunk driving, and fatigue.
- Provincial Freedom Day Event: The 32nd Anniversary of Freedom celebration at Saselemani Village will draw heavy traffic on the R81 and R524.
- COSATU National May Day: Limpopo hosts the national Workers Day celebration in Polokwane. Buses and taxis from all provinces will converge on the city.
- Wedding Season: Peak wedding travel between Gauteng and Limpopo, with late-night driving and alcohol risks.
Four Limpopo roads are in the national Top 25 for pedestrian fatalities over the last five years between 20 March and 13 April. These will be priority zones:
- R71 Mankweng: 64% of crashes involve pedestrians
- R37 Tubatse: 67% of crashes involve pedestrians
- R37 Mecklenburg: 63% of crashes involve pedestrians
- R524 Thohoyandou: 63% of crashes involve pedestrians
“We will have officers on foot, in cars, and with loud hailers on these roads day and night. If you speed through a village, you will be arrested. If you walk drunk on these roads, we will remove you for your own safety,” said MEC Mathye.
- There will be 24/7 high-visibility roadblocks on all identified routes
- Driver fatigue checks and rest stops at Kranskop, Baobab, and Polokwane
- Special interprovincial operations targeting taxis to Gauteng for the derby
- Dedicated traffic control and pedestrian marshals for Saselemani and Polokwane COSATU events, close monitoring on R71, R37, and R524 before the long weekend
“Your freedom to travel comes with a duty to arrive alive. Workers built this country – we won’t lose you on the road. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t overload. Rest when tired. Slow down in villages. One bad decision can end 32 years of freedom for your family,” concluded MEC Mathye.
Enquiries:
MEC's Media Liaison
Mr Tshifhiwa Dali
Cell: 082 904 0262
Departmental Spokesperson
Ms Mashudu Mabata
Cell: 072 180 4275
Media Relations
Mr Matome Taueatsoala
Cell: 060 980 6340
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