Every day, somewhere in South Africa, another family receives the devastating news that a loved one has died in a road crash. More than 12,000 people lose their lives on South African roads every year, whether on major highways such as the N3, on rural roads, in taxis, or while travelling to school or work.
According to Dr Dithoto Modungwa, a Defence and Security Researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), many South Africans may not realise that some of the world’s most advanced vehicle safety technology was developed locally decades ago. However, despite its global success, much of that innovation has never been fully applied to the vehicles and transport systems used by ordinary South Africans.
Dr Modungwa explains that his work at the CSIR focuses on engineering solutions designed to protect soldiers operating in some of the world’s most dangerous environments. While military vehicles may seem far removed from everyday commuting, he says the science behind protecting human life is remarkably similar.
During the 1970s and 1980s, South African engineers developed the Casspir, a military vehicle designed to protect soldiers from landmines. Its distinctive V-shaped hull redirected the force of explosions away from passengers, dramatically improving their chances of survival.
More than 2,000 Casspirs were produced, and the design became the foundation for modern Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles now used by defence forces around the world. According to Dr Modungwa, South Africa did not simply contribute to this technology; it pioneered it.
He believes the same engineering principles used to protect soldiers can also improve road safety for everyday motorists, taxi passengers, and commuters.
“The principles of impact absorption, blast deflection and occupant protection are directly relevant to serious vehicle collisions,” Dr Modungwa says. “They help determine whether people survive high-impact crashes or suffer severe injuries.”
He argues that South Africa already has the expertise and engineering knowledge needed to improve vehicle safety, but these innovations have not been intentionally incorporated into civilian vehicle design standards, public transport, buses, minibus taxis or broader road safety regulations.
Dr Modungwa says road safety is only one part of South Africa’s wider transport challenge. Many communities continue to face ageing infrastructure, poor road conditions, unreliable public transport, overloaded school transport, and rising transport costs.
At the same time, transport contributes roughly 10% of South Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions, meaning decisions about safer, cleaner vehicles can also support the country’s environmental goals.
These issues formed part of Dr Modungwa’s opening address at the 44th Southern African Transport Conference (SATC 2026), held from 6 to 9 July at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria. The conference is South Africa’s largest annual gathering of transport engineers, researchers, and government policymakers.
This year’s event also marked 30 years of transport policy in democratic South Africa, providing an opportunity to reflect on the country’s progress while identifying areas where innovation has not been fully utilised.
Dr Modungwa believes one of the biggest missed opportunities has been allowing world-class South African vehicle safety technology to remain largely within the defence sector, rather than adapting it to improve safety on public roads.
He says addressing the issue does not require developing entirely new technology. Instead, it requires stronger collaboration between organisations such as the CSIR, Armscor, Denel, the Department of Transport, and vehicle manufacturers to bring proven safety innovations into civilian vehicle standards.
To support this vision, Dr Modungwa has proposed a practical framework built around five priorities: sovereignty, safety, security, sustainability and resilience, with actions aimed at both the next three years and the decade ahead.
Ultimately, he believes South Africans should not accept more than 12,000 road deaths every year as an unavoidable part of daily travel.
According to Dr Modungwa, the country already has the engineering expertise and innovation needed to make roads safer. The remaining challenge is creating the partnerships and policies needed to bring those solutions from the defence sector onto South Africa’s roads, where they could help save thousands of lives.
