Programme Director;
Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Cllr Mondli Gungubele, The Chairperson of the RTIA Board, Ms Nomini Rapoo;
The Honourable Chairperson of the Justice portfolio Committee, Dr Mathole Motshekga;
The President of NICSA, Bishop Daniel Matebese;
The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church and President of the SACC, Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa;
Honourable Bishops, Imams, Reverends, Prophets, Pastors, Deacons and leaders of the Interfaith Movement;
CEOs of Public Entities and other Business Partners, The President of SANTACO, Mr Phillip Taaibosch, Senior Management from the Department of Transport, Leaders from the SAPS & Emergency Services, Chairpersons and leaders of the Road Safety Councils, Honourable dignitaries present here;
Members of the media in our midst;
Brothers and sisters.
Introduction
I greet you all in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen!
Allow me to share a scripture reference with you which I believe charges all present here to commit and cultivate an attitude that must at all times influence human action and heavenly response.
2 Chronicles 7 verse 14, It reads and I quote: "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
In South Africa, according to the 2001 national census about 82.7 percent people believe in God as Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews etc.
If we have so many God fearing citizens why do are experiencing such a decline in morality? What is the Church’s position and action in relation to the values that define and set this country apart?
I wish to proudly declare my faith from the on-set, that I am a Child of God! That I was raised in the church and continue to serve the Almighty!
I state my allegiance to God at the very beginning because I am confident and I am proud to call Him my savior!
I am called upon to serve Him in my personal capacity as a woman, a mother and a servant of His people.
In these life roles that I take, I made a commitment to serve my God and His people with dignity.
I serve Him with humility.
I serve Him with confidence and honesty. And I serve Him with Pride!
I believe in prayer totally and absolutely. It is no small co-incidence that I was born in the last century of the second millennium.
In a country that has not only been traditionally deeply religious, but also the last bastion of segregation and discrimination and the proponent of the worst kind of indignity of one human being to another!
This last century also provided the greatest hope of human triumph!
A century blessed with countless individuals who selflessly served their country and fellow human beings!
“Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
‘Alukho Uthando lweqiniso olungafaniswa nolomuntu onikela ngempilo yakhe kuze kube sekufeni ukusindisa abafowabo.’
Oh, the sacrifice of one young Solomon Mahlangu, who fearlessly stared death in its greedy and cruel eyes, yet triumphantly proclaimed in his death walk that and I quote: “My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom!”
Oh, the endless power, grace and humility of our great Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela!
Rising majestically like a sphinx in the desert!
Graciously embodying the everlasting and all-encompassing beauty of the power of forgiveness!
Where the undeniable strength of human courage and fortitude of a triumphant soul rose to majestic heights!
The historical background of the role of the church in South Africa's liberation
Programme Director, our country’s history was fraught with controversy and conflict. Religion was the most fiercely contested ground, functioning both as the tool of subjugation and a means of resistance.
Ladies and gentlemen, historically in South Africa’s religion was a tool used to make the people of African descent feel inferior to their white counterparts because of the colour of their skin. During apartheid being black meant being ungodly, and the white minority preached a propaganda gospel that the colour of their skin meant that they are closer to God. Hence the images used to represent Jesus and Satan also attest to this misrepresentation of the truth.
Equally, religion was very instrumental in bringing to existence the liberation that we all now enjoy. Throughout history, the church had a critical role in correcting the injustices in society. The significant role played by the church in liberating South Africa is alive and a constant reminder that the church will always have a role to uphold the moral compass of a nation’s soul.
From the 1970s, churches in the country became radical and played an important role in the struggle against apartheid!
Certain individuals within faith communities rose to prominence in the anti-apartheid movement as a result of their religious beliefs!
These activists worked both publicly and secretly in various resistance organizations to express their disdain for racism and segregation and their support for democratic change in South Africa in organisations such as the United Democratic Front.
Regardless of religious affiliation, all of them shared a belief that apartheid was morally and ethically indefensible – a grave injustice, a heresy and a sin! One of the most notable actions of the inter-faith sector was its engagement with the African National Congress in exile.
In August of that year 1987, Rev Alan Boesak, who was president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and University of Cape Town (UCT) theologian Dr Charles Villa Vicencio held talks with the ANC!
The South African Council of Churches' (SACC) leaders, Dr CF Beyers Naude and Rev Frank Chikane, also met with the ANC in 1987. Some of the delegations that met the ANC included the SA Catholic Bishops’ Conference!
Let us not forget the immense contribution of the Catholic Church, Arch Bishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and the Anglican Church! An interfaith delegation also went to Lusaka to meet the ANC leadership in September 1987, which included Imam Solomon and Yasmin Sooka of the Islamic and Hindu faiths respectively.
Ladies and gentlemen, the active involvement of the church and the interfaith movement during the struggle years galvanized the whole of society and ultimately led to the freedom and democracy that we all enjoy today!
So we gather today, in order to acknowledge and celebrate this great triumph of the human spirit! The spirit of humanity so deeply embedded in African culture as the concept of Ubuntu! Caring for one another! Being each other’s’ brothers’ keeper! That is the legacy that we have established as a country!
It is a legacy where the church and the interfaith movement have to fully comprehend. The interfaith movement is the custodian of societal morality and the responsibility to foster greater good for all!
The dereliction of responsibility by the Church to constant uphold the moral gauge of our nation; means the gains of democracy stand at great risk from the moral degeneration faced by our society and does not bode well for the future of our country and its humanity! We have to do something urgently to stop this degeneration!
The call to nation building and moral regeneration
During his 2014 State of the Nation Address on 17 June, the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, emphasized the need to prioritize healing and nation building more than ever before. This followed a similar call he had made during his address on the occasion of his inauguration as the fifth President of the Republic of South Africa, when he said and I quote: "...government will promote nation building programmes to rebuild the soul of our nation. Many South Africans still bear the emotional scars arising from decades of apartheid divisions and hatred.”
Therefore, the national healing and reconciliation process must continue. We must work together to promote unity, understanding and tolerance across race and colour lines, as we build a South Africa that truly belongs to all.
The interfaith community is best placed to deal with matters relating to personal and communal healing! Our government recognizes this and calls on all members of the interfaith community to become proactive agents of positive change in our community. To become catalysts for the development and empowerment of our society!
On 15 August 2014, President Zuma led government in the Interfaith 20 years of Freedom Thanksgiving ceremony at Regina Mundi Church in Rockville, Soweto. This was a call from the country’s highest office to all religious leaders and their members to reflect on the successes of the past, the challenges of the present and opportunities of the future. It was an occasion that provided the opportunity for:
Reflection on the South African struggle
Celebration and thanksgiving of the past 20 years and our people's collective achievements; and commitment to collaborate in healing the country and building the nation.
Furthermore, this occasion reminded us of the need for collaboration on some of the most difficult challenges still facing our country. The interfaith movement has to take a leading role in the five key areas of societal challenges such as:
- Moral regeneration;
- Road safety;
- Early child development and the promotion and protection of children's rights;
- Anti-substance abuse; and
- Violent crime and corruption, including gender based violence.
Government is concerned that if left unchecked, these areas are most likely to deepen and exacerbate past wounds and reverse the liberation gains with disastrous consequences for the future.
National road safety programmes
Allow me brothers and sisters to talk to you about one of the most pressing challenges we face as a country as mentioned above. It is a challenge that the Minister and I, together with Team Transport, are fully committed to meeting head-on and eliminate! This is the challenge about road safety!
Without a doubt, one of the greatest challenges faced by our country is the rate of fatalities and crashes experienced on our roads. The innumerable loss of lives and people maimed on our roads are a tragedy beyond comprehension.
It is not only in our country that this terrible blight is experienced, but throughout the world, the biggest challenge is stemming this tide that robs all nations of its greatest assets, being its people. The United Nations has recognised this challenge and to that extent, its General Assembly passed resolutions aimed at stabilizing and reducing the number of road fatalities.
This led to the declaration of this decade, as the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, 2011-2020.
This declaration comes from recognition that annually, more than 1.3 million road users are killed worldwide by road crashes. The majority of these victims are in third world countries. In Africa in particular, this is even more defined, with the disproportionate number of victims vis-à-vis the vehicle population.
The overall goal of the Decade of Action for Road Safety is to stabilise and reduce the forecast level of road traffic fatalities around the world by 2020.
2014 marks the year where as a country we must give an account by means of a report on our progress concerning stabilizing and reducing accident on our roads.
Brothers and sisters, just ponder over this shocking state of affairs.
South Africa contributes about 40 deaths per day, 1000 a week and less than 14 000 per annum. 30 percent drivers, 34-36 percent passengers, and 36-40 percent pedestrians.
The contributory factors include human factors (83.88 percent), status of vehicle fitness (7.46 percent) and roads and the environmental conditions (8.66 percent).
The road safety campaigns we have conducted, we found that the main causes in these different categories of road fatalities include drunken driving, excessive speeding, dangerous over-taking, not using seat belts and unroadworthy vehicles.
Technology-caused driver distraction is a global problem and has its stake in more people dying in road crashes each year. Furthermore, research shows that texting, making calls and other use of in-vehicle information and communication systems while driving is a serious source of driver distraction and increases the risk of accidents.
Citizens of this country have to know that the use of mobile phones while driving is a criminal offence and has a jail sentence attached to it. Furthermore in South Africa, research reveals that Friday to Sunday are the days which reflect a high number of road accidents accounting for 61.27 percent of all weekly fatal crashes, with Saturday accounting for 24 percent of the 61.27 percent.
The age group that dies is between 19 to 34 years of age. National statistics from 2009 to 2013 indicate that approximately 70 000 people have been lost dues to road carnage. And the painful reality is that these are economically viable citizens of this country.
These statistics are alarming. Let’s look at some other disturbing facts. According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013, for every road traffic fatality, at least 20 people sustain non-fatal injuries. Now, we are aware that we lose approximately 14 000 lives per annum on our roads.
As for non-fatal injuries, the assumption, based on the Global Status Report multiplier to calculate non-fatal injuries, is that on South Africa’s roads non-fatalities can be in the region of 280 000 per annum and translate to the following:
- Passengers: 89 600 non-fatal injuries;
- Drivers: 75 600 non-fatal injuries;
- Cyclists: 11 200 non-fatal injuries; and
- Pedestrians: 103 600 non-fatal injuries.
As for fatalities, the picture looks just as bleak:
- Passengers: 4 480 fatalities;
- Drivers: 3,780 fatalities;
- Cyclists: 560 fatalities; and
- Pedestrians: 5180 fatalities.
These figures represent fatalities of different road user categories per year.
These statistics by indication provides a representation that South Africa has one of the worst road safety records in the world and that pedestrian fatalities and non-fatal injuries are categories which require urgent attention. Sweden and Australia, although they have almost the same vehicle population they only experience 300 road fatalities per annum.
At least R306 billion rand is lost to our economy due to road fatalities each year.
Just imagine how many people we can feed with that kind of money! The number of employment we can create! The number of hospitals and schools we can build!
No country in the world can afford to continue experiencing such disaster on a grand scale as we have been. Thus, new interventions that are targeted towards the fundamental causes of crashes and fatalities are needed with a great deal of urgency.
You will note that I refer to road crashes and not road accidents!
By their very nature, accidents are events that occur out of the ordinary. Not activities that can be reasonably foreseen by an ordinary human being! Crashes are challenges brought about by human behaviour that is motivated by lawlessness and a breakdown of the moral fibre of society.
I am reminded by what Reverend Moerane said during the media briefing at the 2013 festive season campaign. He lamented the fact that religious and faith leaders are regularly placed in a difficult situation of telling untruths, simply to comfort families of victims of road crashes. In this, they are expected to tell family members that their loved one, who died in a road crash because the driver was either drunk or reckless in overtaking on a barrier line, did so because it is God’s will. “Modimo one a re file, jaanong o tsere se e leng sa gagwe!”
But we need to ask ourselves if God loves us, how can He allow an innocent young lady or young man, who may come from a poor household and is the sole breadwinner, doing the best to fend for their family, be taken away at their peak and leave their family in deep poverty?
That cannot be God’s will. It is the result of grossly irresponsible behaviour resulting in many untimely deaths! Remember God gave us power to separate good from evil. And together, we need to meet these challenges head-on and save our people from killing themselves on our roads! We cannot let this injustice continue unabated. If Sweden and Australia can be complaining about 300 people dying on their roads and we South Africa have 14 000, what does this mean?
I say this, my dear brothers and sister, with a deep understanding and in agreement of what the great Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr meant when he said: “injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere”.
So it is our common duty to ensure that together, we can tackle this threat to our society. These challenges cannot be tackled by government alone! We need the active participation by the interfaith community!
Our Ministry and Department have been engaging the interfaith community to get them involved in road safety.
Allow me to reiterate 2 Chronicles 7: 14: “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land”.
“Uma abantu Bami, ababizwa ngegama Lami, bezehlisa, bathandaze, bafune ubuso Bami baphenduke ezindleleni zabo zobumnyama. Mina Jehova ngiyakuzwa ngiseZulwini, ngibathethelele izono zabo ngisindise izwe labo.”
This is the prayer that we carry as Team Transport. We want to elevate our battle against traffic lawlessness to the spiritual realm and call on the Almighty’s intervention for our country. To that extent, we are fully committed to galvanize our countrymen, to join us in humbling ourselves and submitting to God for the benefit of our country.
This is what we set about to establish a petition! It is “The Call for a National Prayer Day for Road Safety!”
This is a process that the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, requests that the interfaith movement take with vigour and full commitment. This petition is made in book form and contains 1000 signatures each.
It means that every mosque, every synagogue, every church, every leader, and every concerned and caring South African, make a commitment to become a road safety ambassador!
You do that by signing the petition and encouraging others to sign as well, the commitment to protect and increase awareness on road safety!
Every church, business, school or organization must pledge to take a copy and ensure that we source at least 1 000 people who are committed to road safety and want to change our situation.
We pride ourselves as the Department of Transport that this very important process of distributing and collecting these signature petitions is led by our National Department of Transport Agency, the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA).
It is important to acknowledge the very significant role played by RTIA in spearheading the formalization of the Interfaith Movement in the road safety fora. RTIA is one of the top agencies of Transport who received a clean audit from the Auditor-General. As the Ministry and the Transport family as a whole we commend their outstanding performance. They are a true reflection of the adage that says; next to cleanliness there is godliness.
Ladies and gentlemen, once the books have been fully completed, they will arrange for their collection and write reports. As soon as we have secured 1 million signatures, the RTIA will submit a detailed report to the Minister and we prepare to go to Cabinet.
When we get to Cabinet, we will show them that ordinary South Africans are sick and tired of the lawlessness on our roads! They have made a commitment to change this terrible situation that robs us of our loved ones!
We will then request Cabinet for approval that from the year 2015, the 1st of October every year must be declared a National Prayer Day for Road Safety! This day does not need to be a public holiday.
It must however, be an outward and visible evidence of our commitment to the Almighty to pray for road safety every year. That is the legacy that we must leave for our descendants, to be observed for generations to come.
In the meantime we call on all religious people in this country to pray for the safety of our roads; particularly during this festive season this coming weekend those who worship on Saturday and Sunday alike.
Let the death of those lost in road crashes not be in vain! Let their deaths open our eyes to protect those who are living! And to protect the future of this country!
We have the power to effect the change!
Conclusion
During this festive season, may peace reign on our country’s roads, so that all those who undertake religious pilgrimages and those going to rest back home and on holiday, act responsibly on our roads and enjoy good holidays.
In two days, we will also be commemorating the death of our beloved Nelson Mandela. May his spirit of peace and unity remain with us at all time. May we remember his encouragement that “it is in your hands!”
May God bless you all!
My God bless South Africa!
Nkosi sikelel’ Afrika!
Morena boloka sechaba sa heso!
Yehla Moya Oyingcwele usindis’Afrika…The Holy Spirit must come down and Africa will be saved.
I thank you.
