Mpumalanga | The Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison has strongly condemned the killing of 38-year-old traffic officer Kgaugelo Moela, who was fatally struck by a minibus taxi while on duty along the N4 toll road at Alkmar, just outside Mbombela, in the early hours of Sunday morning. The taxi driver fled the scene of the crash but was later tracked down and arrested while attempting to board another taxi bound for Mozambique.
How The Tragedy Unfolded
Moela, a Transport Inspector stationed within the Ehlanzeni District under the provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, was performing his duties on the busy N4 toll route when he was run over by the minibus. The driver did not stop to render assistance or report the incident, instead fleeing the scene. Police pursued the matter and later apprehended the suspect as he attempted to catch a taxi to cross the border into Mozambique. A case of culpable homicide has been opened, and the investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
Moela had served in the province’s Traffic Department since February 2015, building more than a decade of service enforcing road safety along one of South Africa’s busiest freight and passenger corridors, the Maputo Corridor, which links Mpumalanga to the port of Maputo in Mozambique.
Government’s Response
Community Safety, Security and Liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi condemned the killing on behalf of the department, saying officials remain deeply troubled by the growing number of traffic officers losing their lives in the line of duty. “We are deeply concerned about the number of traffic officers who lose their lives on the roads; we want to appeal to motorists to always be on the lookout when traffic officers are directing them to give them certain directions,” Mmusi said. He also urged law enforcement officers themselves to remain alert and cautious while working on the road.
MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison Jackie Macie confirmed that, given the driver’s alleged links to Mozambique, the department would engage with the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation to address cases involving foreign nationals implicated in such incidents, including the possibility of extradition proceedings where required.
The Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, Moela’s home department, has also extended its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
A Grieving Family, A Province Under Strain
Family spokesperson Bennedict Mashego described the toll the tragedy has taken on Moela’s loved ones. “We are really broken as a family, and it’s not something good, but we just hope that the law will take its course,” Mashego said, adding that the family is seeking justice through the courts.
Moela’s death is not an isolated incident. According to provincial officials, seven traffic law enforcement officers have been killed while on duty in Mpumalanga since 2024, underscoring persistent concerns about the safety of officers working the province’s high-traffic routes, particularly the N4 toll road, which carries heavy volumes of freight traffic between Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Mozambique.
The South African Police Union (SAPU) in Mpumalanga has also weighed in on the spate of officer deaths. Provincial spokesperson Jerry Maseko said the union has proposed that government introduce regular refresher courses for traffic and law enforcement personnel. “Our members can be given refresher courses which is also going to assist them in order to refresh how they can conduct themselves while doing their duties. They will also be sensitised how they can prevent such incidents in order to perform their duties,” Maseko said.
Community Mourns Ahead Of Funeral
Tributes have continued to pour in for Moela in the days following his death. Family, friends and colleagues gathered at the Phola Community Hall in Masoyi for a memorial service, with Moela set to be laid to rest in Phola Village on Saturday. Colleagues from the Transport Inspectorate and the wider provincial law enforcement fraternity are expected to attend the funeral to honour his years of service.
Broader Road Safety Concerns
Moela’s death adds to a troubling pattern of traffic officers being killed while performing routine duties on Mpumalanga’s major highways, including the N4 and N2, in recent years, often in hit-and-run incidents involving trucks or minibus taxis whose drivers flee the scene. Authorities have repeatedly appealed to motorists to exercise greater caution and patience around traffic officials carrying out roadside duties, warning that continued incidents put both officers’ lives and broader road safety enforcement efforts at risk.
