Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has conveyed condolences to the families of more than 20 people killed on the country’s roads over the past 24 hours.
“We want to express our condolences to the families and relatives of all those killed in these road crashes. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We wish the injured a speedy recovery. Officials from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) will be visiting these families to provide necessary assistance to them during their time of bereavement,” said the Minister.
Earlier today, 2 February 2010, 12 people were reported killed in a multiple-vehicle pile-up on the N1 north outside Polokwane. Twenty children were reported injured when the driver of a minibus taxi, who was allegedly drunk, lost control of his vehicle and overturned in Kempton Park in Johannesburg earlier today, 2 February 2010.
Yesterday evening, 1 February 2010, six people were reported killed in a road crash involving four vehicles on the N3 near Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal. On Sunday evening, 31 January 2010, 12 people were reported killed in a road crash involving two minibus taxis, two bakkies and a truck in Groblersdal in Limpopo. Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to step up enforcement.
“We have instructed traffic law enforcement agencies to step up law enforcement operations and increase high visibility patrols. Enforcement will be targeted against those violations and at those times and places which give rise to a high number of road crashes.
“During the past two months (December and January), law enforcement officers conducted more than 1 500 roadblocks throughout the country and stopped and checked more than 1,2 million vehicles and drivers. More than 6 000 vehicles, including 1 536 buses and 1 669 taxis were impounded, suspended and or discontinued.
“We must reduce the impact of road traffic crashes 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We want to re-iterate our call to all road users, particularly public transport operators and drivers, to obey all road rules and exercise extreme caution on the roads. South Africans need to radically change their attitudes and mind-sets towards road safety.
“We will only reduce the carnage on our roads if traffic offences become totally unacceptable to the people of our country. Zero tolerance for all traffic offences is precisely what road users must experience on our roads everyday,” the Minister said.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
Issued by: Department of Transport
2 February 2010
