Reduction: Road Fatalities
The Premier of the Free State, Sisi Ntombela joined the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for Police, Roads and Transport Sam Mashinini in acknowledgment of the province registering the lowest number of registered road fatalities during the 2019 festive season, at a meeting with throngs of traffic officials at the Ferdie Meyer Hall, in Welkom, on 04 February 2020. Premier Ntombela and MEC Mashinini thanked all traffic officials present, the entire working staff of the Department of Police, Roads and Transport, and ordinary motorists and members of the community for working together in keeping the numbers of road fatalities down.
There was significant improvement in the number of road carnages in the province. Statistics reveal that with only ninety one (91) casualties recorded for the recent 2019 festive season, which led to the Free State province having the least number of fatalities, with 35 % reduction recorded in the 2019/20 year, compared to the 2018/19 year, when 111 people lost their lives in the roads during the same period, the province has surpassed all other provinces in the country.
MEC Mashinini affirmed that ultimately, the vision is to continuously decrease the number of deaths on the roads because any loss of life, especially on the roads, is unacceptable.
Premier Ntombela applauded the officials for their hard work, and visible policing during the Festive season, adding that Free State was the envy of other provinces. The Premier encouraged the officers to work extra hard to retain their position as the best province in the country.
“Although we accept and reaffirm that every life is valuable, we must encourage our road users and traffic officials to work together to ensure that the number of registered road fatalities continues to decrease. I have no doubt in my mind that working together, will continue to work hard to put our province on the map," said Premier Ntombela. MECs responsible for Finance (Gadija Brown), Public Works, Infrastructure and Human Settlements (Tshidi Koloi) and Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation (Limakatso Mahasa) were in attendance.
The Executive Mayor of Matjhabeng Local Municipality, Nkosinjani Speelman was also present.
