Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele will join the Eastern Cape government's prayer meeting for road accidents to be held at the Ngcobo stadium tomorrow at 10h00.
This will be preceded by a series of prayer sessions, involving various faith groups, Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet and Members of her Executive Council (MECs) at accident hotspots such as Xuka Bridge, Satan’s Nek, Nkobongo and Tsomo junction from 08h00 to 9h00.
During the Festive Season, from 1 to 31 December, 10 road accidents claimed 38 lives in the Ngcobo area. Again from 1 January to date, road accidents have claimed 11 lives in the area. Most if not all involved long distance public transport vehicles that convey our people to and from Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.
It is against this background that the provincial government saw it fitting and appropriate to hold a prayer service at Ngcobo.
R61 is a gateway that connects the former Transkei region, where people migrated to other provinces for job opportunities. It is a fact that drivers and the owners do not exercise caution as they would let one driver to drive ± 17 hours alone from Cape Town or Johannesburg:
- surely fatigue would take cause
- speed is another contributing factor of these road accidents as they chase time
- motor vehicles that are not roadworthy is antoher challenge
Vigorous and augmented multi-disciplinary law enforcement activities were implemented and felt by many. 141 buses and taxis were tested for not being roadworthy and 62 were suspended.
Two arrests were also made for drivers and owners who conveyed passengers on suspended buses. Two arrests on excessive speed of 160 kilometres and 173 kilometres in a 60 kilometres zone were recorded respectively.
Media contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Cell: 082 44 22 388
Tshepo Machaea
Cell: 082 822 0404
Source: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
