The campaign was launched in a small town called Petrusburg, in the Letsemeng Local Municipality. It comes a day after the fatal accident between a minibus taxi and a truck just outside the Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza and Winburg, where 13 people lost their lives and 3 kids were injured on 12 December 2022.

ALSO READ: N1 collision's death toll up to 13

The MEC for Police, Roads and Transport, William Bulwane, addressed journalists at the Ipetleng High School's hall in Petrusburg and indicated that the campaign was to ensure the message of safety was spread across all platforms and should be a priority on the roads during the festive season. He cautioned drivers not to drive recklessly on the road. The campaign was launched under the theme "It starts with you".

"As I was coming here, there was a bakkie driving recklessly on the road towards Kimberley and then I stopped it and said (to the driver) 'it starts with you'. So that is the message we want to bring today and want to talk about," Bulwane adds.

The campaign commenced with the roadblock on the N8 near Petrusburg.

Meanwhile, opposition parties in the Free State have critiqued the Department of Police, Roads and Transport following the collision which claimed the lives of 13 victims and left 3 injured, involving a minibus taxi and a truck on the N1 on Monday.

Opposition parties, including the EFF and ActionSA, raised concerns about the lack of traffic officials on various provincial and national roads. The EFF’s provincial secretary, Malefane Msimanga, says one of the contributing factors is the non-visibility of traffic officers in the streets.

ALSO READ: Collision could have been avoided - opposition criticises department

While reacting to the accident on Monday, MEC Bulwane said it is a great pity that the Festive Season started on such a sad note in the Free State Province. He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased.

MEC Bulwane has since urged all motorists to drive with extra caution during this time of year since our roads are already extremely busy as we are approaching the peak Festive Season. The department is to respond to allegations levelled against it over the non-payment of traffic officials’ overtime and the lack of visibility on provincial and national roads.

“It is reported that at around 03:25, a truck collided with a taxi on the N1, 17 kilometres before the Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza on the way to Winburg. In addition to the deaths, two passengers are critically injured and one sustained minor injuries and was taken to the Pelonomi Trauma Hospital in Bloemfontein,” Bulwane added.

The 47-year-old truck driver, who was involved in the accident, has since been arrested and will face charges of culpable homicide.

ALSO READ: Police arrest truck driver after N1 collision

13 people, including a taxi driver, died on the scene after more bodies were later found when the turned-over taxi was tipped back by officials.

The head-on collision claimed the lives of seven male persons, 1 baby boy, and 3 girls, who were all certified dead on the scene. One boy and two girls, aged between 10 and 12 years old, were admitted to the Pelonomi Trauma Hospital with serious injuries.

The minibus involved in the collision with the truck was travelling from Johannesburg in Gauteng to Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane & Kekeletso Mosebetsi