Eastern Cape Transport MEC Thandiswa Marawu has revealed that the 2013/14 financial year will mark the intensification of the road safety activities in partnership with departmental stakeholders and communities.
She made the announcement during her 2013/14 policy speech presentation at the Provincial Legislature in Bhisho today.
Marawu said that through working together with the Community Road Safety Councils, the department would:
- Conduct road safety interventions, reaching 160 938 road users which are learners, youths, motorists, stock owners, herdsmen, pedestrians, commuters
- Hold 19 training sessions on road safety education for the Community Road Safety Councils
- Conduct 30 road safety operations to be led by the Community Road Safety Councils.
She further revealed that:
- The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Departments of Education and Transport will enhance this commitment to road safety education. This initiative will see more school-going youth being targeted to impart safe driving skills and instill the culture of road safety to learners through the Learner Driver Education Programme.
- Public transport operators, light and heavy vehicle drivers have been earmarked for driving skills improvement through the Driver Training and Education with a particular focus on speed, seatbelt, alcohol and fatigue themes.
- The department would embark on “Going to Basics” theme of law enforcement. This theme will include the reintroduction of Standing Operating Procedures, which involve compulsory morning parades as well as the old and effective point to point patrols, where officers travel a maximum speed limit of 60kms on the side of the road to increase visibility.
- Our aim this year is to focus on resourcing the officers we have, as opposed to bringing more officers into the system without resources.
- The department would strengthen the working relations with our strategic partners such as municipalities and other law enforcement agencies by meeting quarterly and planning joint operations and cross border operations together with our neighbouring provinces.
Media contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca, Director: Communications
Cell: 082 562 6023
Province
