5 January 2009
Pretoria: Since 1 December 2008 to 5 January 2009, 937 people have died from
733 reported crashes according to the latest report by the Department of
Transport. Fatalities per user group are: 262 drivers, 366 passengers and 309
pedestrians. The provincial breakdown is as follows: (Gauteng 136),
(KwaZulu-Natal 181), (Western Cape 74), (Eastern Cape 92), (Free State 78),
(Mpumalnga 111), (North West 70), (Limpopo 167), (Northern Cape 28).
The Department of Transport through its agency the Road Traffic Management
Corporation will give priority attention to:
Road traffic law enforcement of public transport legislation, including:
* Additional traffic officers to enforce safety standards of the taxi recap
programme.
* Inspection and auditing of Vehicle Testing Stations for compliance and
eradication of corruption.
* Increased inspection and monitoring of Professional Driving Permits.
* Increased law enforcement of vehicle and driver fitness.
* Increased law enforcement for scholar transport in support of Department of
Education's scholar transport programme.
Improve co-ordination amongst role players for increased targeted road
traffic law enforcement at all levels of government in order to attain the
national target rates by 2014, including the reduction in critical road traffic
offence rates by 20% per annum for, amongst others: alcohol, speed, non-wearing
of seatbelts, unsafe and illegal overtaking, ignoring of red traffic signals
and stop signs and other driver and vehicle fitness offences.
Improved identification and management of hazardous locations through
increased deployment of traffic officers improved offence monitoring and
targeted law enforcement at these locations; in conjunction with supporting
communication and education programmes and cost-effective engineering measures
at such locations.
Implementation of special law enforcement initiatives backed by effective
advertising, education and communication campaigns, to reduce pedestrian deaths
(currently nearly 50% of all road deaths) by 10% per annum, as well as
improving cyclist road safety.
Enquiries:
Collen Msibi
Cell: 082 414 5279
Ntau Letebele
Cell: 082 923 9194
Issued by: Department Of Transport
5 January 2009
Source: Department Of Transport (http://www.dot.gov.za)
