B Cele: Easter Holiday launch

3 April 2007

In our endeavour to provide a safe environment which will be conducive to
the community and our visitors during the Easter Holidays, the KwaZulu-Natal
Department of Transport together with all relevant stakeholders will be
intensifying our road safety initiatives to ensure a safe and trouble free
utilisation of all public facilities and roads within our provincial road
network.

All law enforcement agencies will be working in unison to ensure our 100
percent Compliance Policy against traffic offenders in an effort to curb the
number of road crashes and to create maximum impact in terms of law
enforcement.

Road crashes of appalling horror occur almost daily, and we all know that we
need a greater sense of responsibility as nobody benefits from this
situation.

Without the necessary visibility on the roads, there is a rise in carnage on
the roads, and it is for these reasons that we will be embarking on deploying
patrol vehicles along busy routes and hazardous locations.

Vacation leave for Traffic officers have been restricted to emergencies
only. The entire enforcement structures in the province comprising of all
authorities will be out in full force to ensure that our roads remain safe this
Easter Holiday.

You can rest assured that no mercy will be shown to traffic offenders. Those
who do not comply and obey the rules of the road will certainly pay the
price.

Traffic offences to be targeted will be pedestrians, speed, alcohol abuse,
moving violations and vehicle fitness. This however, does not mean that other
violations such as illegal and unsafe overtaking; ignoring stop signs and other
offences will be ignored. All authorities will be making a concerted effort on
pedestrian safety.

Pedestrians constitute the single biggest factor to road accidents in this
country. Many people know the disgust of deadly accidents that occur on roads.
Almost 40 percent of fatalities of the total percentage that occur on roads are
pedestrian related incidents. Many pedestrians involved in accidents are
between the ages of 20 and 40 years and these are individuals that can make a
positive contribution to the South African economy.

Adult pedestrians are a difficult target group to affect behavioural change,
because they have reached a stage where they have set habits and behavioural
patterns. It is for this reason that we have introduced an education programme
of adult pedestrians in KwaZulu-Natal called "Walk Alert KwaZulu-Natal."

The project will focus solely on facilitating attitudes and behavioural
change among pedestrians. The education programme will highlight.

* speed and distance determination of approaching vehicles
* alcohol and walking
* physical limitations of adults (sight, muscular co-ordination and so
on)
* use of appropriate infrastructure
* general road safety education.

In summary, our Easter road safety plan comprises of the following key
elements:

* enforcement operations
* road blocks.

RTI Pietermaritzburg, Park Rynie, Ladysmith and Empangeni will be offering
free roadworthy inspections to motorists ahead of them travelling over long
distances during the Easter holiday period. These dates will be communicated to
the public by the respective regions. Multi-disciplinary road blocks will be a
regular feature on our roads ahead of the long weekend.

Road blocks will also be carried out along routes considered high risk in
terms of road crashes and in and around city centres. Joint operations
involving all enforcement authorities have already been incorporated into
operational plans to create maximum impact in terms of law enforcement.
Motorists travelling in the early hours of the morning can expect to be stopped
at these road blocks. Intensive law enforcement will be carried out in support
of our 100 percent compliance of traffic laws.

Major enforcement operations will start on 30 March 2007 and will continue
until 1 May 2007. Daily road blocks have been scheduled targeting specific
areas at specific times. Road blocks will also be used to create road safety
awareness in communities in support of the provinces overall Road Safety Plan.
Sting operations will be carried out with roving road blocks within targeted
areas.

Static road blocks will be more prominent ahead of the holiday period at
Toll Plazas and entrances to city centres and residential areas. Road blocks
will also be conducted at times when most road crashes occur, after 20h00 and
over weekends.

Visible policing

Visible policing will be highlighted during patrols by all enforcement
agencies, by switching on their Blue lights to reinforce police presence.
Tolkon vehicles which operate on the N3 from Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal to
Heidelberg in Gauteng and will also patrol with their amber flashing
lights.

Tolkon responds to emergencies on the N3 and offers roadside assistance.
Most authorities will operate on a 24 hour basis with a main focus on rapid
response to road crashes and other emergencies including around the clock
traffic policing. Traffic offences relative to the cause of road accidents will
be a priority at hazardous locations.

Special patrols will be carried out along routes used by public transport to
transport migrant workers home in parts of Northern KwaZulu�Natal and the
Eastern Cape. Buses and taxis will be stopped and both the driver and the
vehicle will be subjected to a fitness test. Vehicles will be checked for the
correct certification. These operations will be carried out by the Public
Transport Enforcement Unit (PTEU). Public Transport Enforcement Unit will also
concentrate on passenger overloading.

The Traffic Training College will be patrolling major inland routes with a
special focus on vehicle fitness. They will also provide assistance in accident
response and other emergencies. Visible policing has proven to be a major
deterrent for moving violations and every effort will be made by enforcement
officials to be visible on routes carrying high volumes of traffic.

Alcohol operations

Alcohol abuse by drivers is usually associated with this time of the year
and as a counter measure all drivers stopped will be screened for alcohol
thereby limiting their chances of going undetected. The booze bus will be used
at every opportunity especially at road blocks and randomly during roadside
checks. Alcohol is a major contributor of road crashes and every effort will be
made to discourage motorists from driving after drinking.

Alcohol road blocks will be conducted from 30 March 2007 and will conclude
on 1 May 2007. Checks will be carried out at city centres, outside night clubs
and on routes leading to residential areas. In addition motorists can expect to
be screened for alcohol at toll plazas and along routes leading to holiday
destinations. The booze bus will also be used as part of the high visibility
policing strategy creating awareness and acting as a deterrent for would be
drunken drivers. Many hours have been dedicated to alcohol operations.

Speed operations

Special speed operations will be carried out in an effort to arrest chronic
homicidal speedsters who travel at high speeds and hope to avoid detection on
the N2 and N3 especially at Estcourt, Ladysmith and Park Rynie, where excessive
speeds were recorded.

Speed camera operations at fixed sites will be operational 24 hours. These
fixed sites are located on the N2, N11 and N3 at Van Reenen, Town Hill, Lion
Park, Pinetown, Queensburgh and Winkelspruit, which are regarded as hazardous
locations. Other speed operations will be effected in the early hours of the
morning when opportunity exists for drivers to speed when there are reduced
traffic volumes.

Routine speed checks will also be staged at places on provincial roads and
within municipal areas. A special focus on speed will be carried out within
municipal areas where pedestrian fatalities are high.

Routine enforcement

Routine law enforcement will be carried out against unlicensed drivers,
un-roadworthy vehicles, driver fitness and overloading of passengers, etc as
part of the strategic provincial operational plan which will also be carried
out at road blocks, during routine patrols and at roadside checks.

Overloading control and the movement of holiday traffic will be monitored.
Moving violations will also be policed during routine patrols including the
non-wearing of seatbelts. On days when there is a large influx of people to
beaches and dams, routine enforcement will be carried out on these routes
especially during late afternoon and early evening.

Mpimpa Call Centre

The Mpimpa Call Centre will be fully operational 24 hours a day over the
holiday period. Staff have been briefed on what to expect over the holiday
period. The Mpimpa Call Centre staff are managed by supervisors who will be on
standby to attend to any emergency.

The Mpimpa Deputy Manager will also be on stand-by to assist in the event of
an emergency or to attend to any problems. Emergencies reported to the Call
Centre will immediately be communicated to the relevant emergency service for
speedy response.

Lastly, I would like to urge all road users to adhere to the key road safety
guidelines. These guides will guide not only motorist and pedestrians, but will
protect your safety through out the Easter holiday season and beyond:

* do not drink and drive
* do not speed
* do not overload
* insist on driver and vehicle fitness
* wear your seatbelt
* promote pedestrian safety.

Remember, there is only a millisecond between you and a family tragedy that
can never be reversed. Arrive alive, Asiphephe KwaZulu-Natal.

I thank you

Enquiries:
Nonkululeko Mbatha
Cell: 083 645 6252

Issued by: Department of Transport, Community Safety and Liaison,
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
3 April 2007