Transport, at the Road Traffic Management Corporation Meeting, Pine Lodge, Port
Elizabeth
4 September 2007
On behalf of the Department of Roads and Transport, I would like to express
our warm welcome to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to the
province of the Eastern Cape. We hope that your deliberations will assist all
of us in dealing effectively with the challenge of providing a safe passage for
our people and visitors, when they use our road network.
As a strategic institution, the RTMC is expected to assist government in
this country to overcome the current fragmentation of traffic management
functions across hundreds of provincial and local jurisdictions. It has a task
to bring a new professional coherence and improvement co-ordination of road
traffic management.
With the implementation of the National Road Safety Strategy under way, we
are observing with great interest the impact this strategy will have on the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals for the Transport Sector and
goals that are highlighted in the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for
South Africa (AsgiSA) project, which include 50 percent reduction of fatalities
by 2014. We need to accelerate our pace of developing and implementing
programmes that will ensure the reduction of deaths on our roads and the
provision of an enabling transport environment for the successful hosting of
the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Road accidents continue to frustrate development as they usually take away
our loved ones, who are mostly active participants in the economy. As a
developing country, South Africa enjoys a period of high economic growth rate,
which provides space for the previously marginalised individuals, particularly
the youth, to participate actively in the economy. There are growing numbers of
young people, who have entered the job market and have bought new cars. This
means our road network is dominated by inexperienced drivers, who pose a huge
risk to other road users.
Over the past three years, cars have become more affordable and some
manufacturers have reduced their prices, some by 15 percent. The emergence of a
strong black middle-class market that has purchased between 25 percent and 40
percent of the motor vehicles in South Africa has become a significant factor.
This year alone, there is an expected increase in car sales by between 4
percent and 7 percent.
The continuous increase on the number of vehicles that are being registered
in the Eastern Cape and the demand for number plates confirms this research.
The demand for personalised and specific number plates in this province is
increasing beyond expectations resulting in revenue collected exceeding the
target of R293 000 as at the end of December 2006 by R1,428 million.
This trend forces government to invest more on public transport in an effort
to prevent congestion on our roads and to further increase road traffic safety
awareness with a particular focus on the new drivers. We have already started
with the recapitalisation of old taxis in South Africa and government is
investing R7,7 billion in this project. We are further making visible and
decisive interventions in improving the conditions of buses.
As we continue to initiate various programmes that seek to facilitate the
movement of people and goods, we are further charged with a responsibility to
increase road safety awareness. All countries in the world have realised the
importance of investing in road safety initiatives through deliberate and
determined efforts of many sectors of society, both governmental and
non-governmental.
Our government is trying its best to ensure that all road users respect the
law, but we have further observed the importance of constantly reminding our
people about their roles and responsibilities when they use our roads.
I strongly believe that we need more partners, particularly from the private
sector in order to make the necessary impact. We must collectively mobilise
resources in order to enhance our capacity when we run our Arrive Alive
campaign, which is a continuous and tactical programme designed to achieve
effective practical co-operation between the three spheres of government in all
ongoing road traffic and road safety management.
We must endeavour to design an Arrive Plan that will provide a seamless
national law enforcement plan that responds to the demands of prevailing
circumstances in an effective way. During that process, we must capacitate
municipalities, especially those that are situated in rural conditions through
assisting them to establish their own traffic law enforcement units.
That approach will ensure that we concentrate all our energies on effective
management in day-to-day enforcement and quality control, linked to innovative
efforts for effective and efficient service delivery.
In conclusion, I am confident that the RTMC is capable of making the
necessary difference and bring a significant reduction in the number of
fatalities and serious injuries suffered by our people in our country.
I wish you all the best in this session.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Safety, Security, Liaison and Transport, Eastern
Cape Provincial Government
4 September 2007
