North West targets four percent reduction in road fatalities over the festive season

North West Road Traffic Management Authorities are targeting a reduction of road fatalities by four percent during this year’s festive season.

Launching the Arrive Alive Campaign for the 2011 Festive season at the Bapong Traffic Control Centre on the Bakwena Platinum N4 outside Brits, Acting MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Ms Mosetsanagape Mokomele-Mothibi said that no effort will be spared towards realisation of the goal to reduce road accidents and fatalities in the province.

MEC Mokomele-Mothibi said every motorist who will dare to drive drunk or above permissible speed limit during this year’s festive season must know that breathalysers and speed machines will be deployed across all major roads in the province.

“Increased visibility and coordinated law enforcement and crime prevention operations will be stepped up to squeeze lawlessness and crime to zero this festive season,” said Mokomela-Mothibi.

While stray animals would be impounded to reduce accidents caused by these animals, MEC called on pedestrians to avoid drinking and walking, to wear reflective clothing and cross roads only when it is safe for them to do so because road safety is the responsibility of all road users.

MEC Mokomela-Mothibi advised motorists who will be travelling to the annual 60’s festival that will be held at Monare farm outside Mahikeng over the coming weekend to arrange dedicated drivers as none will be spared from a breathalyser test in the interest of safer road.

“Mavericks who have no regard for the law are assured that our traffic officers will be all out to turn the heat on them and stamp their authority on the road to ensure that there is no unnecessary loss of live on our roads,” said MEC.

About 400 officials from different law enforcement authorities will be deployed on priority roads across the province to ensure zero tolerance approach on drunken driving and drug abuse.

MEC Mokomele praised stakeholders such as Lonmin, South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), Netcare 911 and other, for their contribution and support of the Decade of Action for Road safety.

The annual Arrive Alive campaign is aimed at intensifying traffic law enforcement operations and increasing visibility of law enforcement in an effort to reduce road accidents and fatalities across on all major roads across the province.

31 258 traffic fines were issued, 356 motorists were arrested for outstanding warrants and 36 others for drunken driving during build-up law enforcement operations towards the provincial launch.

MEC Mokomele-Mothibi commended the efforts of traffic officers based at the Bapong Traffic Control Centre in Bojanala Platinum District for striving towards excellence and expressed hope that those who were from other Districts and municipalities represented at the launch would go back challenged to worker harder to match the standard for excellence officers stationed at this centre have set for the province and country as a whole.

Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 391 0420
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 0328
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za