South Africa has recorded a meaningful decline in pedestrian fatalities during the first five months of 2026, yet the country’s largest metropolitan areas continue to account for the majority of deaths on the roads.
New figures released by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) show that while overall pedestrian fatalities have fallen compared to last year, urban centres remain the most dangerous environments for people travelling on foot.
The data highlights an ongoing challenge for road safety authorities as they attempt to reduce one of the country’s highest-risk categories of road users.
Pedestrian fatalities decline nationwide
According to the RTMC, 1,928 pedestrians lost their lives on South African roads between January and May 2026, compared with 2,214 during the same period in 2025.
The reduction of 286 deaths represents a 13% year-on-year improvement and suggests that recent road safety campaigns and enforcement efforts may be having a positive effect.
RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said May also recorded encouraging results, with pedestrian deaths falling from 390 in April to 358 in May.
Most provinces reported improvements during the month, although the Free State, Limpopo and Western Cape experienced increases compared with April.
Despite the progress, pedestrians remain the single largest category of road fatalities in South Africa.
During the first five months of the year, pedestrians accounted for 44% of all road deaths, only slightly lower than the 46% recorded during the same period last year.
Road safety experts say the figures underline the continued vulnerability of pedestrians, particularly in densely populated areas where road networks are under pressure from growing traffic volumes and high levels of daily foot traffic.
Metro municipalities remain the biggest contributors
The RTMC identified five metropolitan municipalities as the primary contributors to pedestrian deaths nationwide.
Cape Town, eThekwini, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane together account for approximately 64% of all pedestrian fatalities recorded across the country.
Several district municipalities also featured among the highest-risk areas, including Nkangala, Bojanala, OR Tambo, uMgungundlovu and Ehlanzeni.
Authorities believe these areas face a combination of challenges, including population growth, congested roads, informal settlements located near busy transport routes and limited pedestrian infrastructure in certain communities.
In response, law enforcement agencies are intensifying road safety operations and public awareness campaigns.
The RTMC, together with national and provincial transport departments, has launched its annual winter road safety campaign under the theme “See and Be Seen: Navigating South Africa’s Winter Roads Together.”
The initiative focuses on seasonal hazards such as dense fog, reduced daylight hours, black ice, snowfall, veld fires and increased risks facing scholar transport services.
Road users are being encouraged to exercise additional caution during winter months when visibility is often reduced.
For pedestrians, safety recommendations include avoiding walking on highways, using designated pedestrian bridges and crossings wherever possible, and wearing bright or reflective clothing when travelling at night or in poor weather conditions.
Officials say that although the national decline in pedestrian fatalities is encouraging, sustained efforts will be required to address the concentration of deaths in major urban areas and continue reducing road fatalities across South Africa.
Source: Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC)