4 April 2007
Today marks the start of congestion on our road network as everybody gears
up for the Easter Weekend.
Everybody pins hope to law enforcement agencies, particularly traffic
officers in order to "Arrive Alive" at their various destinations during this
weekend.
It is one of those periods in the year, when we have to strengthen practical
co-operation between the three spheres of government in all ongoing road
traffic and road safety management.
The Department of Roads and Transport in the Eastern Cape is convinced that
our traffic officers are ready to respond to this challenge as they are charged
with a responsibility to ensure that we have an accident-free period through a
"zero tolerance" approach.
These officers will be working 24 hours a day with little family time and
are ready to brave the extremely hot and cold weathers of the Eastern Cape
province in a quest to maintain law and order on our roads.
"I am confident that this weekend's campaign will bring a significant
reduction in the number of fatalities and serious injuries suffered by our
people in our province," said Mr Thobile Mhlahlo MEC for Safety, Liaison, Roads
and Transport.
We have 383 provincial traffic officers, who will be working together with
500 municipal traffic officers, South African Police Services (SAPS), South
African National Defence Force (SANDF) and emergency services members in an
effort to strengthen our strategies.
Over the weekend, we will further mount road blocks jointly with our
counterparts from KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Northern Cape and Western Cape to
ensure that no unroadworthy vehicles would be coming to the Eastern Cape.
This approach seeks to ensure that we concentrate all our energies through
effective management of day to day enforcement and quality control, linked to
innovative efforts for effective and efficient service delivery.
This weekend's campaign will mainly focus on:
* driver fitness: documentation, fatigue, alcohol abuse
* moving violations: barrier lines, red light infringements, cellphones,
speeding
* overloading focusing on passenger and freight transport vehicles
* vehicle fitness: documentation, roadworthiness and registration plate
enforcement
* pedestrian safety: pedestrian jaywalking, drinking and walking and
pedestrians on freeways
* seatbelts (both front and back).
One of the primary focuses of the Arrive Alive Campaign this weekend will be
public transport (buses and taxis).
The Department has availed resources for officers to undertake this task
effectively.
The identified strategic routes include:
* N2 Storms River to Kokstad (Western Cape to KwaZulu-Natal Border)
* Port Elizabeth (Coega, Colchester, Peddie)
* Mthatha (Qumbu, Mt Frere), Pakade, Umzimkulu
* N6
East London to Aliwal North
(EL, Stutterheim, Queenstown, Jamestown, Aliwal North)
* N9
Western Cape Border to Beaufort West
(Beaufort to Aberdeen)
*
N10 Ncanaga to Middelburg
Patterson, Cookhouse, Cradock, Middelburg 56
* R396 Middelburg to Umzimkulu (Ntywenka, Maclear and Tsolo
Steynsburg, Molteno, Indwe, Dordrecht and Umzimkulu)
* R58
Engcobo to Steynsburg
Elliot, Barkley Pass, Satan's Nek
* R61
Western Cape Boundary to Mzamba
Cradock, Tarkastad, Queenstown, Cofimvaba, Engcobo, Mthatha, Port St Johns,
Lusikisiki, Flagstaff, Bizana and Mzamba
* R63
King William's Town to Graaff-Reinet
Fort Beaufort, Alice, Cookhouse, Bedford, Pearston, Adelaide
* R67
Fort Beaufort to Grahamstown
* R72
East London to Ncanaga
Port Alfred, Alexandria
* R75
Port Elizabeth to Graaff-Reinet,
Uitenhage, Jansenville
* R345
Zwelitsha to Kidds Beach
* R346
King William's Town to Stutterheim
, King William's Town to Stutterheim
* R392
Zastron to Sterkspruit Junction,
Sterkspruit, Aliwal North
We would like to encourage motorists, especially public transport operators
to assist our Arrive Alive initiative through:
* constantly checking the conditions of their vehicles before taking long
trips
* avoiding to travel during awkward times
* ensuring that long distance trips have at least two drivers to avoid
fatigue.
Commuters should inform our law enforcement agencies of any problems they
encounter on our roads through calling the Provincial Information Centre toll
free number 0800 644 644
We will further promote the safety of communities through:
* road blocks
* stop and searches
* cordon and searches
* intervention operations
* closing down of illegal liquor outlets
* ensuring compliance with the law at taverns
* chasing of wanted suspects
* surveillance of suspected drug outlets
* beach patrols.
We expect maximum co-operation from all community members to ensure the
success our crime prevention programme.
Let us all Arrive Alive!
Contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Spokesperson the Ministry
Cell: 082 44 22 388
Cell: 073 2066 569
Issued by: Ministry for Safety, Liaison, Roads and Transport, Eastern Cape
Provincial Government
4 April 2007
