Safety Strategy by Mpumalanga MEC for Roads and Transport, Mr F Mahlalela,
Msukaligwa, Ermelo Civic Centre
8 December 2006
Programme Director
Honourable MECs, Executive Mayors and Councillors
Senior officials from government departments
Officials from traffic authorities
Representatives from RTMC, Sasol, SAB, Engen and Putco
Representatives from Public Transport Operators, Business Community
Members of the media
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Good evening
Today mark an important occasion for the Department of Roads and Transport
and most particularly the citizens of this province; an occasion that stands to
be a torchbearer for the realisation of our stated goals in the fight against
death on our roads.
It is indeed an occasion of extra-ordinary significance due to the nature of
our departmental programmes that has drawn all of us together, a programme
destined to remind all of us that, in our philosophy of a 'better life for
all', we are legislatively and ethically bound to engage in practical
strategies that aims at ensuring safety on our roads.
As the custodians of a better life for all and a caring society, we must be
proud of our values and reflect that we value life despite all its mysteries
that poetry attempts to demonstrate. We must make all means available to manage
our lives safely because if we fail, we would be tempted to wander away from
being the custodians of a better life for all and more so lives around us would
be extinct to demand our reasons for caring about others and ourselves.
Ladies and gentlemen, this launch happens at a time when the number of road
crashes has reached alarming rates, which when we encounter, denies us the
pleasures that may be in that particular time and space. Like all our fellow
human beings, we continue to be victims of horrible accidents which do not pass
by without piercing our hearts with its ugly daggers. Our African heritage as
over the centuries laid testimony to how we are badly touched when those around
us loose their loved ones.
As we move forward with the practicalisation of our Road Safety Strategy, we
must be mindful of the fact that death caused by road accidents produces
orphans, disability and robs extended families breadwinners. Therefore, we
stand justified in realising the connectivity between poverty creation and road
accidents. As we see this connectivity, we need to be conscious of the number
of skills that road accidents rob our country.
"All that is human is a very important variable" because without life, we
cannot collaborate songs sung by our heroes, without life, we cannot sing to
the melodies of peace that Africa yearns near and far. Without life, we cannot
wake up tomorrow and say "I am an African". I am an African because I live
somewhere in Africa surrounded by the African sky, nourished by the exotic
greenery around. Indeed without life we cannot touch, embrace and be told
through our living experience with others that we are alive.
Embedded in our strategy is the recruitment of road safety ambassadors, who
would use their influence to mobilise communities to join hands in our fight
against road fatalities. At the moment we have successfully recruited five Road
Safety ambassadors and are spread throughout the province. May I once more ask
them to rise in appreciation and congratulations.
As part of our strategy to reduce road accidents caused by fatigue, we will
put more rest stops in strategic routes. We have just entered the festive
season, as always, most of us will be visiting places miles away from our
homes. We will be travelling by motor vehicles; we therefore need to make use
of these facilities.
Programme Director; let me hasten to remind all drivers and pedestrians out
there that it is the responsibility of all of us to promote road safety. We
call upon all the people of this province and those planning to visit the
province to join us in our campaign "Arrive Alive" Cabulela Ekhaya" as this
would enhance our strategy of reducing road deaths.
One must further reflect that the development of this strategy is aimed at
transcending wishful thinking in the Arrive Alive Campaign and acts to
institute behavioural attitudes that will make us arrive alive to our
destinations. Driver attitude and arrogance is becoming common and have serious
negative consequences.
During the development of our road safety strategy, we were able to come up
with certain key elements which we would wish to see the people of this
province taking it forward, they are:
* Managing road safety through partnerships with government departments,
local authorities, communities and private sector.
* Introduction of a system to reduce fraud and corruption, for an example, the
establishment of the inspectorate unit.
* Ensure that public transport is effective, safe and secure.
* Improved alcohol testing and subsequent presentations.
* Integration of roads into infrastructure projects with special focus on the
needs for non-motorised transport.
* Special law enforcement projects focusing on vehicle fitness.
* Co-ordinating the programmes of provincial and local police traffic.
Some of the targets arising from that meeting are:
* Reduce by half the rate of accidental fatalities arising from road and
other transport by 2014.
* Dismantle all physical and non physical transport barriers that increase
journey time and flow of goods.
Our road safety strategy is not only a social response but derives its
mandate from a political paradigm put into motion in April 2006, Ethiopia, by
African Ministers of transport who committed themselves to the 2014 millennium
goals. In line with these goals and as part of our strategy we would reduce
road accidents by 10% in the year 2014.
Underlying these targets is the gathering of information. Information not
for its own sake, but the kind of detailed information that will better informs
our campaigns in the future and the public through the media.
Despite all the challenges, we are working on solutions to these problems
and whilst we are frustrated, there is hope for solutions in the future.
Ladies and gentlemen, as we move towards Christmas, when the volume of
traffic on our roads peaks, I would like to appeal to all road users to drive
carefully. Ultimately the safety of all people on our road depends on you.
* Do not drink and drive. It impairs your judgment and makes you a menace to
everyone on the road.
* Do not exceed the speed limit, is there for your protection.
* And fasten your seatbelt and make sure all your passengers fasten their
seatbelt. It might just save your life.
My plea to all road users this festive season is that. Please do not become
another accident statistic.
Arrive alive, cabulela ekhaya
Thank you
Issued by: Department of Roads and Transport, Mpumalanga Provincial
Government
8 December 2006
