Central SA
Free State has close to 40,000 unroadworthy cars on its roads─── ZENANDE MPAME 09:14 Thu, 11 Dec 2025
The Free State is gearing up for one of its most intensive festive season road safety campaigns yet, with police warning unroadworthy vehicles will not be tolerated.
Data from the national traffic information system has shown the province has 35,319 unroadworthy vehicles. These include taxis, buses, and commercial vehicles.
As thousands of families prepare to take to the roads for school holidays and festive celebrations, Free State traffic authorities are positioning themselves for a strict, proactive crackdown on unsafe vehicles.
In order to lower crashes and fatalities during the busiest travel season of the year, authorities are getting ready to increase roadblocks, inspections, and enforcement activities in the upcoming weeks.
“The department has intensified its festive season road safety operations, with traffic officers adopting a zero-tolerance stance on unroadworthy vehicles,” said community safety, roads and transport spokesperson Hillary Mophethe.
“Last week, seven vehicles were discontinued due to serious roadworthiness defects, including smooth tyres, faulty brakes, cracked windscreens, malfunctioning lights, and leaking engines.”
As a result, officers emphasised that any three major defects result in the immediate discontinuation of a vehicle, and commercial vehicles remain a particular focus.
Arrive Alive reports commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle mass above 3,500 kg, including minibus taxis, must undergo roadworthiness tests every year, while buses must be tested every six months.
Xhariep district police conducted a roadblock on the N6. Photo supplied
“We would like to call on road users to ensure that the vehicles they travel in this festive season are in good condition,” said Mophethe.
“This is one of the ways to reduce fatalities and road crashes in our province. We cannot afford to lose one life on our roads – because one life lost is one life too many.”
On Tuesday (9/12), police in the Xhariep district conducted a roadblock on the N6 outside Smithfield. They ensured that motorists arrived safely at their destinations as the N6 road joins the Free State and Eastern Cape.
Police searched 108 vehicles and issued six road traffic fines.
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