As the festive season dust settles, the numbers from Gauteng’s roads paint a stark picture of lawlessness, with Johannesburg emerging as the province’s hotspot for traffic violations. A month-long enforcement blitz by the Gauteng Transport Inspectorate (GTI), alongside the RTMC and other agencies, resulted in a staggering haul: 410 vehicles discontinued, 110 impounded, and 88 arrests across the province.
The data from 1 to 31 December 2025 reveals the scale of non-compliance. Johannesburg alone accounted for 2,825 infringements, with 186 vehicles taken off the road and 39 impounded. Tshwane and Ekurhuleni followed, recording over a thousand infringements each and scores of vehicles discontinued for critical defects.
A Crisis in Public Transport Compliance
The crackdown exposed alarming flaws in the public transport sector, a vital yet often vulnerable part of the festive migration. Officers found 498 minibuses operating without valid licence discs and 629 drivers without proper driving licences. A further 358 minibuses were discontinued outright for dangerous mechanical failures, revealing a systemic disregard for commuter safety.
“These outcomes demonstrate our zero-tolerance approach to lawlessness on our roads,” said Gauteng MEC for Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela. “Operators who endanger commuters through non-compliance will be dealt with decisively.”
Heavy Traffic and a Call for Shared Responsibility
The enforcement drive coincided with extreme traffic volumes on major routes. The N3 Toll Concession reported nearly 8,000 vehicles per hour passing through toll plazas between Heidelberg and Cedara on Sunday afternoon, advising travellers to expect significant delays.
While commending officers, MEC Diale-Tlabela shifted the focus to shared accountability, urging the public to choose only licensed and compliant transport. The campaign’s slogan, “E Thoma Ka Wena! It Starts With You,” underscored the message that road safety is a collective duty.
The festive statistics serve as a sobering start to the new year. They highlight not just a seasonal spike in offences, but a deep-seated culture of non-compliance that endangers millions daily. As traffic slowly returns to normal patterns, the challenge for authorities will be to sustain this enforcement momentum long after the holiday lights dim.
