As part of promoting pedestrians’ safety and fight against road accidents, more than 500 primary school learners in Standerton, Mpumalanga joined the Global Road Safety campaign on Friday 10 May 2013. The campaign was first launched in Soweto on 4 May 2013 by Transport Minister, Mr Ben Martins.
The campaigns which run for a week focused mainly on pedestrian safety as statistics have shown an increase in road fatalities which involves pedestrians. Since the launch of the campaign, three pedestrians were killed and two seriously injured in road accidents in Thulamahashe and Barberton.
In Mpumalanga alone, since January 2013 to date, over 90 pedestrians have been killed and many injured in various road accidents. The campaign forms part of the Decade of Action and aims at reducing road accidents by 50 percent in year 2020 through education and enforcement.
In order to achieve this goal, Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison is conducting educational tours with stakeholders such as the Red Cross, Municipalities and the South African Police Service to schools and communities to educate people about road safety.
Speaking to the learners on behalf of Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe, Senior Manager for Road Safety, Busi Nkuna said learners are the future leaders of the country and they should be taught about road safety awareness continuously.
Nkuna also said that said that MEC Shongwe wants to see people safe across the province and wants all drivers to promote pedestrian safety.
“We have chosen Standerton because it is leading in pedestrian fatalities in the Gert Sibande Region. The MEC is pleading with all drivers to obey the rules of our road and promote pedestrian safety,” said Nkuna.
Nkuna also urged learners to wear bright clothes when they walk in the dark as this would assist motorists to recognise them as this would assist in reducing pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Cell: 082 678 1450
Tel: 013 766 4055
