Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has warned road users to obey road rules or face the full might of the law. The Minister's warning follows reports of another road crash, involving a mini-bus taxi earlier today, Wednesday, 23 September 2009, at Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, in which ten people were burnt to death.
"We want to express our condolences to the families and relatives of those killed in this road crash at Umtata. Our thoughts and prayers are with these families. We wish those injured a speedy recovery.
"As we head into the September school holidays, traffic volumes on the roads will increase and we want to repeat our calls to all road users to obey all road rules and exercise extreme caution on the roads, or face the full might of the law. We have instructed all law enforcement agencies to intensify their enforcement programme for the school holidays, especially targeting mini-bus taxis and other public transport vehicles.
There will be zero tolerance against all road traffic offences and those found guilty of committing any offence will face the full might of the law. We want to again plead with public transport operators and drivers to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy as we cannot continue putting the lives of innocent commuters at risk. From Monday, 21 to 23 September alone, more than twenty people were killed in road crashes involving mini-bus taxis.
Last weekend (18 to 20 September), another twenty people were killed on the country's roads, with the majority of vehicles involved being mini-bus taxis. The national Department of Transport has dispatched a team of accident investigation and reconstruction specialists to assist in the investigation of these major road crashes and we will ensure that those who are found guilty of this unnecessary loss of lives face the consequences of their actions.
"Road Safety is a key priority of our government. But we also know that the onus for reducing the carnage on our roads must rest with the road users themselves. This is REAL crime, and communities and individuals must take responsibility for their behaviour and that of their families and friends to bring down the number of deaths on the road.
"One death on our roads is one too many. Each and every death or serious injury is a tragedy for the individual, their families, communities and for the nation.
"We must continue to strive to increase respect for human life and treat road carnage with the seriousness it deserves," said Minister Ndebele.
Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Cell: 083 644 4050
Issued by: Department of Transport
23 September 2009
