The Presiding, Priest / Bishop
Arch Bishops, Bishops, Pastors, Deacons and Priests
Church elders
Guilds from various denominations
Ladies and gentlemen
Transport: Moving South Africa to do more together
May I humbly request the congregation to stand up and observe a momentum of silence in prayer and meditation for those who have lost their lives on the road – not forgetting those who have been maimed by road crashes – also praying for those affected by road crashes (widows, widowers, orphans etc.)
Statistics indicates to us that on average 15 000 people per year lose their lives on the roads in South Africa. It means approximately 1 250 people per month lose their lives. These figures far exceed the number of people that are killed by Malaria or HIV and AIDS in the whole of Africa.
It therefore requires all of us to pause and reflect on this unparalleled carnage. One life lost is one too many. We are here to humbly request this Inter-Denominational congregation to take a stand against this carnage.
Let your voice be heard. The church has an unprecedented influence upon the lives of people and how they conduct themselves. We appeal to churches for assistance to curb the carnage because research has aptly demonstrated that more than 95 percent of all the road crashes that result in fatalities are caused by negligence and utter disregard for road signs and regulations.
I am definitely sure churches do not delight in having to bury victims of road crashes every weekend. It is time consuming and also a reduction in the number of believers who could be contributing to the growth of the church. We request the powers that be in the various denominations to inculcate a sense of responsibility so that:
1. People should observe road signs and regulations:
- Robots
- Stop Signs
- No Overtaking in dangerous places (Barrier Lines)
- Keep to the required speed limit
- No overloading
- Keep prudent following distance
- Have your head lights on day and night
2. Make sure vehicles are roadworthy (K53):
- Tyres
- Wipers
- Lights
- Alignment
- Steering wreck
3. Responsible drivers:
- Do not drink and drive
- Avoid fatigue – rest after every two hours
- Put on safety belt
- Tolerate other road users
4. Pedestrians:
- Responsible crossing of roads
- No J- walking
5. Stray animals: People should not steal the fence, so that animals wonder into the roads.
6. Reflectors on animal drawn carts
The Minister of Transport Dr S’bu Ndebele has requested us to stop and check 1 million vehicles per month country wide. As a province we are doing everything possible to equal that task by setting a target of 65 000 vehicles per month. I am sure everyone will agree with me that it will be a shame to accost a believer on the wrong side of the law.
It has been a hectic October Transport Month:
- We mounted massive road blocks both educational and law enforcement
- We officially opened a road that links Bethulie and Springfontein. Hopefully this road will have far reaching social, cultural and economic spin-offs for the Xhariep District which is economically depressed.
- We showcased Monontsha Road Construction Site. This is a project that aptly demonstrates resilience of ordinary people. You can’t believe that through manual labour, people have been able to construct gabions that prevent mudslides, manually constructed a bridge that enables vehicles to cross a fast mountain stream and laid down water channels using rocks. In the process people acquire skills and small contractors are empowered.
- We unveiled an empowerment consortium wherein taxi and small bus operators are now providing transport services on the N8 corridor plus Maluti Route (Bloemfontein to Qwa-Qwa) using seven buses.
- Very soon we are going to unveil a transformed Maluti Bus Service owned by Taxi Operators from Bethlehem, Qwa-Qwa, Harrismith and Tshiame. This is a huge empowerment deal, courtesy the Department of Police, Roads and Transport under the auspices of the Free State Provincial Government.
- It is our desire that one day ordinary people, taxi and small bus operators should operate the rail commuter service linking Bloemfontein and Thaba Nchu – ultimately reaching Maseru.
- We urge people to think big and venture into transport industry not as isolated individuals but integrate the various modes of transport to maximise benefits. It does not make business sense to have small operations that just qualify for hand to mouth.
- We also call upon taxi operators to form cooperatives and run transport related businesses e.g. Filling Stations; Spare Parts Retails; Tyre Fixing; Service Centers etc. They have the muscle and potential but they do not realise it.
- On Friday, 29 October we shall open the Naledi Transport Centre that integrates taxi and bus operations. For the first time commuters and travellers in Naledi and Lesotho will have a decent structure.
To conclude I must also indicate that work has begun in earnest to rehabilitate the 23 roads that I spoke about during my budget vote speech. In the spirit of Operation Hlasela we are partnering with local municipalities to upgrade township roads and access rural roads. It is also our intention to upgrade the rural road that traverses the border with Lesotho so as to provide security for farmers along the border. Once more I humbly submit that we rely on the profound influence of the church to arrest the carnage on our roads.
Ke a lehoha.
Source: Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport
