Motorists should cooperate with scholar patrol teams deployed to pedestrian crossings during peak hours in order to reduce road accidents involving learners, MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison Ms Desbo Mohono said at the ceremony to hand over scholar transport packages held at a village outside Mahikeng in the North West Province on Wednesday.
Addressing learners at the handing over ceremony, Mohono said the packages valued at R545 000 will increase learner visibility on roads and as such will reduce a high number of accidents where there’s high volume of traffic at pedestrian crossing across the province.
“The handing over of these equipments seeks to increase your visibility on our roads and further to encourage you as Road Safety activists to channel all your energies even amongst your peers about the safety and wellbeing of everyone else involved,” said MEC Mohono.
The MEC called upon communities at large to support the programme by ensuring that learners cross safer at pedestrian crossings. She appreciated the role played by educators in supervising scholar patrol teams and the involvement of Anglo American Platinum in supporting the programme and called on other organisations to come on board.
Scholar Patrol Project is one of the road safety education initiatives involving learners who voluntarily participate in assisting the young pedestrians to safely cross the road during school peak periods.
The project’s main objective is to encourage learners’ participation in promoting road safety, as to ensure safe crossing of learners on roads and further to develop a culture of positive attitude and behaviour towards road safety among young road users.
Currently the programme has 321 registered crossing points each with a team of 10 members, 3 210 learners with 321 supervisors from 282 schools participating in the province.
The programme is in support of the 2011/20 Decade of Action for Road Safety Campaign aimed at reducing road accidents and fatalities by half.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 391 0420
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 0328
E-Mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
MEC Mohono appeals for motorists to cooperate with scholar patrol teams
Province
