At least 17 people, including a baby, were killed in a road crash involving a minibus-taxi and a truck outside Belfast in Mpumalanga this morning (Thursday, 1 December).
According to Mpumalanga Traffic Authorities, the driver of the minibus, carrying 17 people, veered out of its lane and collided head-on with a truck on the N4 outside Belfast around 4am. The truck dragged the minibus and both vehicles caught fire. The taxi was en route from Mozambique to Johannesburg, while the truck was travelling from Johannesburg to Nelspruit.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has re-iterated that road users who disobey road rules will be shown no mercy. “We want to convey condolences to the families of those killed in this horrific road crash outside Belfast in Mpumalanga this morning (1 December), and wish those injured a speedy recovery. Our society has degenerated to a level where some drivers continue to display a blatant disregard for human life.
In conjunction with the Ministries of Police and Justice, as well as the National Prosecuting Authority, we will continue to ensure that we are more aggressive in dealing with irresponsible drivers to protect our constitutionally entrenched right to life. To this end, in those instances where it can be proved that a motorist’s conduct is such that it can be inferred that he had some form of intention to cause the death of the deceased, that motorist will be charged with murder.
“Our law enforcement and emergency services officials are out in full force to ensure safe roads, particularly during the December holidays. No mercy will be shown to any person who disobeys road rules. Road traffic offences must be reported to 0861 400 800. We also call upon drivers to take advantage of the free vehicle safety checks from 28 November to 10 December, offered by the National Vehicle Testing Association (NVTA) in conjunction with the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).
This initiative is in support of the Decade of Action Plan to reduce road deaths by 50% over the next 10 years. We urge more individuals and organisations to join hands with the Department of Transport as a Friend of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 to 2020. Road safety is everybody’s responsibility,” said the Minister.
Last month (November), more than 365 000 public transport and freight drivers and vehicles were checked, and more than 3 000 un-roadworthy vehicles removed from South Africa’s roads.
During November, 365 671 buses and trucks were checked and 66 003 fines issued for various traffic offences. One thousand seven hundred and fifty two (1 752) mini-bus taxis, 981 trucks and 312 buses were taken off the roads.
More than 850 bus and truck drivers were arrested, including 101 for drunk driving, 10 for excessive speed, nine for reckless and/or negligent driving, 425 for overloading, 235 for public transport permits, 77 for not being in possession of a valid driving licence, 10 for false documents and 219 for other offences.
Over the past three months (September, October, November 2011), more than 3 500 public transport and freight drivers have been arrested as part of pre-December holiday traffic law enforcement operations and following Minister Ndebele’s instruction that every bus and taxi must be stopped and checked.
Meanwhile, as part of on-going investigations into transport-related fraud and corruption, a traffic officer and driving instructor were arrested in Knysna in the southern Cape on Tuesday (29 November). The two apparently worked together to sell driving licences to individuals who failed to obtain a licence.
During October, 1 034 375 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked, 308 327 fines issued for various traffic offences, 6 972 vehicles discontinued from use and 8 263 drivers arrested including drinking and driving (1,795), reckless and/or negligent driving (131), excessive speed (151), warrants of arrest (5 506), public transport permits (210) and other arrests (470).
From October 2010 to October 2011, 15 051 565 vehicles and drivers were checked, 6 287 308 fines issued for various traffic offences, 21 575 drunk drivers arrested and 60 313 un-roadworthy vehicles (the majority of which are buses and taxis) discontinued from use, as part of the new National Rolling Enforcement Plan (NREP) and million-a-month vehicle check announced by Minister Ndebele on 10 September 2010.
Tomorrow (Friday, 2 December), as part of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 to 2020, Minister Ndebele will join the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works and Transport of the Kingdom of Lesotho, to officially launch the Road Safety Decade of Action 2011-2020 Plan in Lesotho. The two Ministers will also sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on the transfer of South Africa’s electronic national traffic information system (eNatis) to the Lesotho Ministry of Public Works and Transport, in order to upgrade the current Natis that is in use in Lesotho. The MoA will improve, among others, the two countries’ efforts to stamp out vehicle theft across their borders.
Last week (23 to 25 November), Minister Ndebele attended a meeting in Angola of African Ministers responsible for Transport, where the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Decade of Action for Road Safety was discussed. On 7 October, the SADC Decade of Action for Road Safety was launched in Centurion, and Minister Ndebele was chosen as the SADC Champion for Road Safety.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050
Ashref Ismail (RTMC)
Cell: 071 680 3448
