Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has called on South Africans to value life on the roads.
Addressing Parliament´s Transport Portfolio Committee in Cape Town earlier today (7 February), Minister Ndebele said: "People must value life! It cannot be considered normal that every month we count no less than 1-thousand soul-less bodies due to road crashes, most of which could have been avoided.
"The overarching thing that we all agree on is a need to start taking a microscopic look at these bodies we count every year. We want to call on the nation, especially those people who use our roads every day, to ask themselves a number of questions about their role in road safety.
We want 2012 to be the year of action against those that seek to turn our roads into killing fields. We want drunk drivers to be isolated, and have their actions disowned by their own families for their destructive ways are deadly!
"Coupled with intensified and uncompromising law enforcement accompanied by harsher sanctions, we want to drive social conduct change programmes that would have as their primary objective to speak to the human beings behind the drivers of these vehicles we see on our roads daily.
"We are faced with a mammoth task of changing people´s conduct on our roads. We lose multiple lives every year due to road crashes. And frankly speaking this unnecessary loss of lives is preventable. If only we could change our mindsets as South Africa, we would be able to realize minimal and less fatal crashes on our roads.
"Road carnage is a problem that affects us all. It is therefore also collective responsibility that will see us making inroads in making our roads safer. South Africans in general are not lawless people. Hence, out of all licensed drivers, only a few individuals continue to display total disregard for the rules of the road. These are the few who are turning our roads into killing fields. They must be isolated and exposed for their deeds are not only a danger to themselves but pose a real threat to the sustainability of society," said Minister Ndebele.
Meanwhile, the Minister has conveyed condolences to the families of at least nine people killed in a road crash between a truck and mini-bus taxi on the N1 just outside Makhado at Adams Apple in Limpopo this morning (7 February).
"We want to convey condolences to the families and colleagues of the at least nine people killed in a road crash in Limpopo this morning (7 February), and wish the injured a speedy recovery," the Minister said.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
