Obey the law or lose your licence - that's the warning from Transport Minister S'bu Ndebele to motorists ahead of next year's World Cup.

The minister, speaking at the the Permanent International Association of Road Congress's International Seminar on Road Safety in the city on Monday, was referring to the new points demerit system, which is being piloted in Gauteng and is to be rolled out countrywide early next year.

Each motorist is to be given a base of 12 points. Points will be deducted when a motorist commits an offence. Demerit points will lead to the suspension and cancellation of driver's licences, professional driving permits or operator cards.

Ndebele said law enforcement authorities would adopt a zero tolerance approach during the World Cup - but first there was the festive season to get through.

He said that with the eyes of the world on Cape Town for Fifa's final World Cup draw in December, motorists should drive responsibly.

"The Road Traffic Management Corporation will continue (its) zero tolerance approach (to) traffic offenders," said Ndebele.

"We are committed to the implementation of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences throughout the country in 2010.

"(This project) seeks to create an efficient road traffic management environment and enhance a culture of compliance through the points demerit system. Obey the law or lose your licence."

Ndebele said Africa had the world's most dangerous roads.

"Unless we do something about it soon, by 2020 we will find that road crashes (claim more lives) than... HIV and malaria together."

About 3 400 adults and children a day died across the world while walking, cycling or driving on roads.

About 1.3-million people died a year and between 20 and 50-million were injured.

The latest Global Status Report on road safety in 178 countries shows that road traffic injuries remain a public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The report says that in Africa, 10 countries - South Africa among them - account for 62 percent of reported road accidents.

Most of the reported crashes involve pedestrians, cyclists and those using motorised two- and three-wheel vehicles.

Road accidents cost the South African economy R56-billion in 2008, said Ndebele.

Tami Toroyan, of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said road traffic injuries were the ninth leading cause of death internationally. If the trend continued, they would become the fifth leading cause by 2030.

Western Cape MEC for Transport and Public Works Robin Carlisle said 42 percent of the people who died in road accidents in the province were pedestrians.

Speed is another factor and something needs to be done urgently."

Carlisle said law-enforcement authorities would embark on a blitz next month to ensure that motorists were buckled up, did not use their cellphones while driving, and their vehicles carried valid number plates.