Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has praised Moira Winslow, founder of Drive Alive, for her invaluable contribution to road safety in South Africa.
Winslow (80) will leave South Africa on Saturday (3 December) to re-unite with her family in the United Kingdom due to ill-health. Minister Ndebele personally conveyed his thanks and appreciation to Ms Winslow telephonically earlier today (30 November).
"On behalf of the government of South Africa, we want to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Ms Moira Winslow - a true road safety activist. Moira, who led Drive Alive for the past 22 years, has become an internationally renowned campaigner for improved road safety in South Africa. When Moira's daughter, son and two grandchildren were tragically killed in a car crash in 1985, she started Drive Alive, a road safety awareness organisation. Drive Alive has been active in previously disadvantaged schools for the last two decades, and has made an invaluable contribution to creating road safety awareness amongst South African citizens. During this Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, we need more people of Moira's calibre to join the global movement against road crashes to end the carnage on our roads," said Minister Ndebele.
Drive Alive was officially formed in 1989 as a non-profit people's road safety organisation in South Africa. Drive Alive is dedicated to educating the youth of the country, and changing the attitudes of road users.
Chosen as the number one project by the Global Road Safety Partnership, under the auspices of the World Bank in 2000, the Drive Alive Pedestrian Visibility Campaign educates the public to increase pedestrian visibility. A TV series 'Soul Buddyz', with the highest ratings of any children's TV series in the country, has been used together with school volunteer and parents' groups to deliver the Pedestrian Visibility Campaign.
Theatre has also been used to put across the key safety messages. The Plastered Cast Theatre Company produces a 30-minute revue called 'Syabonna'- Seen and be seen- under the direction of 'Drive Alive' using road safety and reflective rules with humour, music, dance and acting.
The Drive Alive Drama Group perform a road safety play that focuses on the main road safety issues: Seat belts, Speed, Peer Group Pressure, Alcohol, Drugs, Pedestrians and The Buddy System, elements which are all incorporated into the story. In 2008 to 2009 the Drive Alive Drama Group went to 201 primary schools in Soweto and presented a Road Safety play to over 94 000 children, specifically choosing previously disadvantaged schools. The play is performed by actors who speak many indigenous languages, and incorporates comedy, physical theatre, song, dance and role-playing, and ensures that all the messages are thoroughly explained and taught.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 6444 050
