North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Desbo Mohono has vowed that zero tolerance road traffic law enforcement operations and improved visibility would be stepped up around Rustenburg to curb the spike in road fatalities.
MEC Mohono’s declaration of war against speedsters and drunken drivers follows the deaths of two more road users and injuries of five others in two separate road accidents outside Rustenburg on Sunday raising fatalities experienced over the weekend in the North West province to ten and injured road users to 28.
A male passenger in his 30s is suspected to have died of a whip lash that broke his neck in the first accident involving a bus and a Nissan Sentra car. The road accident occurred at around 1h30pm at the Kromrivier side junction on the D573 Oorsaak-Rex road about 20 kilometers outside Rustenburg.
It is alleged that the driver of the Nissan Sentra had entered the road from the side junction though there was an oncoming a Vaal Maseru bus approaching. The bus could not stop in time to avoid the accident. It bumped into the driver’s front door.
The 39 year-old driver of the Sentra and three female passengers in their late 40s were rushed to Job Shimankana Provincial Hospital with slight injuries while no one from the bus was injuried.
A male passenger in his 30s died in the second accident that involved two Mitsubishi Colt bakkies. The crash occurred within close proximity of the first accident on the nearby Old Pretoria road about six hours later in the evening. It coincidentally occurred in front of the Vaal Maseru Bus Company Depot.
It is alleged that the bakkies were both driving from Rustenburg towards Buffelspoort/Marikana when one tried to overtake the other on the left hand side. As the overtaking bakkie tried to rejoin the tarred road in front of the other bakkie, it caught its front fender causing the driver to lose control of his vehicle. The vehicle flung out the male passenger and rolled over him killing him on the spot as it overturned.
The Sunday crashes have added to MEC Mohono’s concerns about speeding, drinking and driving as major a factor that has caused most accidents and road fatalities.
Failure to wear seat belts has also contributed to the high fatality rate which in MEC Mohono’s view is unacceptably high to come from around one area. She confirmed that police are investigating cases of culpable homicide, reckless and negligent driving in both cases.
In conveying her condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones in the accidents and wishing the injured road users a speedy recovery, Mohono called for drivers to change their behaviour and to road users in general to change their attitude towards road safety. Passengers also have a responsibility to refuse to ride in vehicles whose drivers are not sober in order to safeguard their lives and those of other road users.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 391 0420
CELL: 083 629 1987
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
