J Radebe: Launch of Easter and school holiday road safety

6 March 2006

The CEO of Bakwena Concessionaires
CEO of the South Africa National Roads Agency Limited
Representatives of the Road Accident Fund
Senior Officers from various Provincial Traffic Departments and Metros
Members of the South African Police Service
Members of the Committee for Active Road Safety
Representatives of OUTsurance
Artists from the Music Industry
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen

We are in the middle of the most hectic season of the year in the calendar
of road traffic management in South Africa. Traditionally, the months of March,
April and May are characterised by a number of public holidays such as the
school holidays, Easter weekend, the Freedom Day and Worker’s Day public
holidays. Needless to say, all the main roads of our country are filled with
people going to church gatherings and holidays. The pressure put on our roads
during this time is very challenging for road users. The increase vehicle and
driver population, calls for road users to exercise extreme caution not only
during Easter but on a daily basis.

Road crashes and fatalities continue to pose a huge burden to our economy
with a loss of more than R38 billion annually. Statistics also shows that
during Easter and December holidays our battle with reducing the lawlessness on
our roads is proving to be an extremely difficult one with all indications that
careless and reckless road users causing more havoc often with disastrous
consequences to themselves. The loss to the country, the community and the
immediate family is really immeasurable.

It is common knowledge that road crashes do not just happen, they happen
because of certain contributory factors. These contributory factors are real
circumstantial elements that are present at the time of the crash. There are
many different contributory factors that lead to road traffic crashes:

* Most important of which are the level of driver training;
* The general attitude of drivers;
* Driver behaviour; and
* The level of driver self-discipline and self-regulation and law
compliance.

All of these relate to human factors in the road traffic environment. It is
estimated that more than 90% of road traffic crashes relates to the human
element, all of which can be traced back to a violation or violations of
traffic rules.

This tells us that we need to strengthen our nation-building process. Our
roads and how we use them are an integral part of how we live and relate to one
another as citizens. Our road behaviour holds up a mirror to us in which we can
clearly see the strengths and weaknesses of our emerging national culture. We
know how much aggression; anger and irresponsibility continue to simmer within
this culture. But we also know how many thousands of our citizens are already
committed to making a difference, and how many millions can be won to the
safety crusade.

We are gathered here today to witness the launch of Operation Emisa, as part
of the Arrive Alive Campaign. “Emisa” is a Sotho word meaning “stop” or “to
stop”, so loosely interpreted we hope to “stop” the carnage by “stopping” the
lawlessness on our roads. In support of the Arrive Alive Campaign, the Road
Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has co-ordinated a comprehensive plan
towards addressing poor road discipline in the country. As we implement
“Operation Emisa” for the whole of April 2006, we will close the net on those
who disregard traffic rules and improve the safety of road users. Metropolitan
and provincial traffic authorities have committed themselves through “Operation
Emisa” to target the following Traffic Offences:

Road user offences:
* Pedestrians jay walking and on freeways,
* Speed,
* Drivers and pedestrians under the influence of alcohol,
* Unsafe overtaking, and
* Turning in front of oncoming traffic, skipping red traffic signals and
ignoring stop signs.
* Legality of drivers and vehicles

All vehicle fitness aspects will be closely monitored with intensified
emphasis on passenger carrying vehicles such as minibus taxis, buses and
bakkies,

This clearly does not mean that only the above offences will be targeted at
the exclusion of others. All transgressions will be addressed and prioritised
accordingly and offenders dealt with severely.

All efforts will be made to ensure that visible policing takes place
especially at hazardous locations and at the most accident-prone times.
Vehicles travelling without registration plates or permits will be prosecuted
and their license discs removed, thus ensuring that motorists who deliberately
attempt to defeat the ends of justice will do so at the risk of facing
prosecution.

Special targeted alcohol enforcement roadblocks will be carried out at
high-risk areas and motorists are warned that should they be found with a blood
alcohol level over the legal limit, the law will take its full course.

A further issue that will receive top priority by the RTMC will be the
drafting and finalisation of a National Road Traffic Law Enforcement Code. This
Code will be published as a regulation and will cover each and every aspect of
enforcement in detail. Amongst others, much needed requirements with regard to
the planning and scheduling of enforcement operations and setting of
performance targets and evaluation measures will be covered.

Traffic law enforcement officers have a key role in encouraging improved
road user behaviour. Law enforcement will continue to be enhanced through the
development and application of improved management methods and new technology.
The focus will be on both widespread and targeted intelligence-based
enforcement campaigns, which will be coordinated with public information
programmes. The Patrol Car Project, co-sponsored by OUTsurance is already
taking the first step in ensuring heightened traffic police visibility.
Provincial traffic authorities will receive an additional 30 vehicles for
monitoring traffic over the Easter period and these are sponsored by Imperial
Fleet Services (IFS) for a month.

Law compliance, driver fitness and training, vehicle condition, fleet
regulation, overload control; pedestrian education is a key to the success of
our efforts. Through the RTMC and the Arrive Alive Campaign we will build and
consolidate the institutional capacity, public support required to stamp out
fraud and corruption, effectively penalise serious traffic offenders and build
a culture of careful and responsible road use.

I must thank the Bakwena Concessionaires for sponsoring today’s launch and
for their support for road safety. Their role, together with that of South
African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) cannot be over-emphasised, as the bulk
of the Easter Moria traffic will pass along this stretch of freeway known as
the Mantsole Weighbridge.

The development of dynamic partnerships between the private sector and
national, provincial and local government will be enhanced as we improve on
implementation.

I must also thank our traffic officers, police officers and all members of
the emergency and rescue services who will be sacrificing time away from their
loved ones to ensure that you and I reach our destinations safely.

To motorists out there, I appeal to you to exercise care and patience on the
road. Be patient at the various enforcement interventions and remember; these
officers are out there doing a thankless task, exposed to various elements just
to ensure our safety. The success of “Operation Emisa” is dependent on the
co-operation of each and every road user because road safety is every one’s
problem.

To members of the various religious denominations for whom Easter is
traditionally a religious observation, we appeal to the drivers to get
sufficient rest, ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and not overloaded and
observe the rules of the road.

May I close with a special appeal to motorists to please drive with your
headlamps on during the day? Keep your headlamps on the dipped beam and
demonstrate your commitment and support of the Arrive Alive’s “Lights on
campaign”.

Road safety touches all of us. It is for all of us. If we can go away from
here determined to build the partnerships that we need and draw many thousands
of new people into what we are convinced is a winnable battle, we will truly
find ourselves embarked on the road to safety.

In our midst we also have artists who are endorsing our Arrive Alive
message. We say thank you for your support and hope you will continue to spread
the message of safe road usage in various forums.

We are in this together! Together we are better! Buckle up and let’s all
Arrive Alive!

Ke ya Leboga

Issued by: Department of Transport
6 March 2006