Transport Minister, Honourable Dikobe Ben Martins has expressed sadness at the continued loss of lives on South Africa's roads.
The Minister says if all road users remained vigilant at all times, some of the crashes we experience on our roads could be averted.
This follows today's (4 March 2013) fatal vehicle pile-up on the N1 North next to 14th Avenue and Beyers Naude in Johannesburg which claimed one life and left 30 people injured.
Initial reports indicated that five people had died as a result of the crash that occurred on the N1 North highway when the driver of a truck carrying bricks lost control, resulting in a pile up. However the number has since been revised down to one.
Minister Martins has sent his sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of the road user who died during the fatal pile-up and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
The Minister calls on every road user to take personal interest and responsibility in road safety and ensure that South Africa's roads are not turned into killing fields.
"We all need to come together and join hands to stop this carnage on our roads. We need sustainable partnerships between government and civil society to win the war against the road carnage.
We urge traffic law enforcement officers to remain vigilant in their enforcement of road traffic rules They must not negotiate with traffic offenders. A traffic transgression should be met with the relevant sanction," says Minister Martins.
Minister Martins will launch the 2013 National Easter Road Safety campaign in Polokwane, Limpopo on 10 March 2013.
Enquiries:
Tiyani Rikhotso
Cell: 083 570 1275
