Yesterday marked the brief closure of the inland schools for the Easter holiday season break. Pupils from inland schools are taking a well-deserved break during this period and so will learners from the coastal schools shortly.
As the schools go on recess, heavy traffic volumes will be experienced along major arterial around the country and over the weekend as learners and motorists travel to various destinations across the country for the Easter holidays.
Transport Minister, Hounorable Dikobe Ben Martins, has called on all road users to exercise extra caution on the country’s roads as the Easter holiday season approaches.
“We want to re-emphasize to all motorists the need to exercise extra caution and obey all rules of the road without exception during this period and at all times. As part of government’s programme and the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 campaign to reduce road deaths, we shall focus on various aspects during this season.
We shall focus on driver fitness, vehicle fitness, speeding, wearing of seatbelts, drinking and driving, fatigue and pedestrian safety. We urge motorists to take responsibility for themselves and other road users at all times,” said Minister Martins.
“Vehicles which are not roadworthy will be taken off the roads immediately and motorists found to be over the legal alcohol limit should be arrested on the spot. The Easter season in South Africa should be a period characterised by religious festivities and calm and should not be turned into a period of sorrow by reckless, negligent and irresponsible driving on our roads. Our message to all road users is a very simple. Observe all the rules of the road and we can all arrive safely and alive”.
“I wish to encourage all motorists and passengers travelling during their Easter season celebrations and holidays to continue to exercise caution, to remain calm and to observe all the rules of the road as they travel to their various destinations.
The tragic crash that happened on the 15th March on the Hex River Pass in the Western Cape where 24 passengers lost their lives and many others suffered serious injuries after a passenger bus overturned is still fresh on the minds of South Africans and the deceased are still to be buried. Families, friends, relatives and loved ones, and the whole of South Africa has been devastated by this occurrence.
Let us all act responsibly on our roads and get to our destinations safely without regrets.
Join hands with us so that together, we can save millions of lives on our roads” says Minister Martins.
Minister Martins has wished all the learners a safe Easter holiday break.
Enquiries:
Tiyani Rikhotso
Cell: 083 570 1275
