The Minister of Transport Ms Dipuo Peters has received with shock and sadness reports of last night's fatal crash in Kwaggafontein along the Moloto road in Mpumalanga province.
The Minister has been informed by traffic authorities who responded to the crash that at least 29 people have lost their lives and many others sustained injuries.
She sends her sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wishes a speedy recovery to those who sustained injuries.
A high level investigation consisting of the Department of Transport, Road Traffic Management Corporation and the Mpumalanga provincial government has been instituted to unearth the causal factors of this crash.
"The team's brief is not limited to determining what caused the crash but also includes coming up with proposed interventions to ensure the prevention of a further recurrence," says Minister Peters.
The Minister says if anyone is found to be at fault, they must face the full might of the law.
The Department of Transport has been aware of the challenges along the Moloto corridor. An inter-governmental Steering Committee (National Department of Transport and the provinces of Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo including their respective municipalities) was established to conduct a feasibility study that should determine long term interventions for corridor.
A political committee comprising the Minister of Transport, the Premiers of the three affected provinces and their respective MECs; and the mayors of the municipalities concerned is also seized with the issue of finding long-term solutions to challenges on the Moloto corridor.
"This horrific crash happens on the eve of my presentation of the draft Rail Policy in cabinet. The Rail Policy has a specific emphasis on the Moloto corridor and speaks to the transport infrastructure investments that we need to make in that area as government," says Minister Peters.
The Minister says the long term objective is to move goods and passengers from road to rail and look into the possible expansion of the road network in question. This would assist in reducing the number of heavy duty vehicles such as busses and trucks from busy road networks, particularly those within Central Business Districts and residential areas.
The National Road Safety Summit recently convened by Minister Peters in Gauteng produced several outcomes and commitments that should be looked into as part of our efforts to reduce the road carnage. Among these outcomes is the production of 5 year multi-sectorial national road safety strategy 2014-2019.
The Summit, according to the Minister, has once again proved to all of us that road safety is a joint responsibility.
"We call on motorists, passengers and pedestrians alike to be vigilant on our roads. Only a partnership between government, civil society and the private sector would see us winning the battle against road carnage. Road Safety is everyone's responsibility. We all have a role to play," concludes Minister Peters.
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