Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday said the department had met its target to decrease road fatalities by 10%.
Mbalula and officials from the Road Traffic Management Corporation addressed the media on the festive season road safety. The minister said the number of fatalities between 1 December and 15 January had decreased from almost 1,800 last year to over 1,600 this year.
He said Gauteng and Limpopo were the only provinces that had an increase in road deaths.
Mbalula said over 9,000 motorists were arrested for offences including drunk driving, speeding, and reckless and negligent driving.