29 March 2010
Programme director
Premier of the province of Limpopo, Mr Cassel Mathale
Limpopo MEC for Roads and Transport, Ms Pinky Kekana
Other MECs present
Members of parliament and provincial legislatures
Mayors and councillors
Limpopo Transport Head of Department, Mr Ntau Letebele
Other heads of departments present
Road Accident Fund (RAF) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Jacob Modise
Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) acting CEO, Mr Collins Letsoalo
Members of law enforcement agencies and emergency services
All other members of the transport family
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
Introduction
In a matter of days, the N1 between Gauteng and Limpopo will witness one of the greatest mass movements of people over a single period as worshippers gather in Moria, a stone’s throw away from where we are today.
Each year more than one million people travel from all parts of the country and the region to Moria as part of this annual pilgrimage of moral renewal and rededication to humanity. This year the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) commemorates 100 years of existence. We are expecting five million people to gather in these religious sites around Moria as part of those celebrations!
But here is the issue. From this podium we can say with certainty that this is a gathering of people of exemplary discipline and unparalleled tolerance. We can say the ZCC worshippers have in them good and godliness that we desire in all road users.
It is true, that this gathering is one of the most testing for the traffic authorities here in Limpopo. It is true, that this event requires a lot of personnel and is logistically one of the most demanding. But it is also true, that this gathering generally proceeds well because there is necessary dignity and decorum accorded to it by the worshippers. As a result it is true, that it is one of the most incident-free gatherings ever.
Ladies and gentlemen, responsible citizens do not need to be policed all the time. In 73 days' time, South Africa hosts the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Road safety has become a global concern. As we welcome the world, it is our responsibility to ensure that the millions who will use our roads, and other transport infrastructure, during the World Cup and beyond do so under world safety standards.
Is it not possible, we say it is; that during the world cup we can all adopt the highest levels of discipline and courtesy on our roads? Is it not possible, the ZCC worshippers show us it is, that we can consider others as we want ourselves to be considered as fellow road users. Is it not time, we say it is time, for our people everywhere to adopt a new approach as drivers, passengers or pedestrians.
What is to be done?
So what is to be done? Last Thursday, 25 March, I had a meeting with Mr Len Stevens, a reader of the Cape Argus, who lives in Rondebosch in Cape Town. Mr Stevens is a semi-retired trainer, who wrote an interesting letter to the Cape Argus about our approach to road safety. Mr Stevens proposes that road crashes and road safety, have a lot to do with our humanity or lack of it.
Mr. Stevens wrote and I quote: “We have seen a spate of horror crashes across the country in the past few weeks and just ahead, lies the Easter bloodbath to add sadly inevitably to our road death and tally. All this despite the most vigorous and stern warnings from our traffic authorities of zero tolerance and the full might of the law which seem to challenge the aggressiveness of our drivers”.
And here is the clincher and I quote: “I appeal to our traffic authorities and government agencies to take a break from what is very clearly not working and to go out on another tack altogether that of a widespread and sustained road courtesy campaign”.
Mr Stevens calls on us to discover that golden thread of common decency which resides in all of us. Mr. Stevens wants us to discover in all of us our spirit of good, old, common decency and courtesy for fellow road users. It is these calls by ordinary members of the public, such as Mr Stevens and many others, which bring us here to Limpopo today.
We have watched every Easter and December, as fatal and serious injury road crashes take centre stage, year in and year out. This must stop because it can be stopped! Working together, we can do more to stop this carnage on our roads.
As government, today we vow that this year’s Arrive Alive campaign marks the start of a renewed commitment, to reducing the current number of 40 deaths, and over 140 serious injuries, on our roads every day. This death and destruction not only causes enormous pain and suffering to the victims and their families, but also costs our economy an estimated R56 billion each year.
Secondly this year marks a break in our approach to road safety. It shall no longer be just government’s responsibility to provide safety on our roads. From henceforth this shall be a strong partnership between all stakeholders, the community, individual, business and all of us.
In light of this last month, the Department of Transport hosted a national Road Safety Summit in Johannesburg. The summit deliberated on the formation of community road safety councils at local and district levels of all municipalities.
* The participants deliberated on the establishment of and special roles for community road safety councils. This would include goal directed traffic law enforcement as well as voluntary compliance to road traffic rules
* The forums will also work closely with road traffic authorities and law enforcement agencies within the community road safety council area
* In terms of education, the community road safety councils will identify local road safety education issues and bring them to the attention of the relevant bodies and authorities
* The councils will also identify and interrogate local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and potential SMMEs within the community road safety council area, for involvement in road safety projects coordinated by the Department of Transport.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the approach we would like all provinces, including Limpopo, to take so that we can arrest the road safety challenges in every province.
Implementation of Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO)
It is however a sad reality that more than 90 percent of road deaths follow a traffic violation. This calls for us to continue with our enforcement operations, here in Limpopo, and everywhere else in the country.
Through the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) we want to rededicate to collaboration with business, community groups and individuals to safe behaviour on our roads. This sense of shared responsibility is a fundamental tenet incorporated into the work of the RTMC and the Department of Transport.
We are confident that AARTO will drive the message home which is aimed at decriminalising traffic violations.
* AARTO’s implementation forges a closer and more effective and efficient link between the enforcement and the adjudication process.
* AARTO is an objective, transparent and fair process.
* The system brings along parity of fines across the country, which will encourage motorists to take traffic violations and resulting fines with the seriousness they deserve.
Prosecution of road traffic offences
We are pleased that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office, in Gauteng, has reinstated the use of the Dräger breathalysers. We also welcome the R70 000 fine, as well as suspension of the driving licence, imposed last Thursday, 25 March on a KwaZulu-Natal motorist arrested for travelling at 252 kilometres per hour driving under the influence of alcohol and failing to stop. We want to commend the Scottburgh magistrate who handed down the maximum sentence for speed offences in terms of the Road Traffic Act.
This sentence, with the suspension of the driving licence, should serve as a benchmark for similar offences in our country. We will engage the national director of Public Prosecutions regarding the prosecution of road traffic offences.
Easter road safety plan
Our road safety strategy has achieved some success. Road deaths, per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled, have dropped, particularly during the festive season. However, one death is one death too many. It does not matter whether this year fewer people die, not a single person must be killed on our roads.
When we lose a high school student in a taxi crash, we do not just lose a high school learner or a number, we lose a doctor, we lose a potential engineer, we lose a priest. So, in one crash we lose a doctor; a healer of thousands, who could have prolonged the lives of others; an engineer, a builder of bridges, who could have designed new places of living for humanity to thrive, indeed in one crash, we could lose a priest, someone who could become our country’s moral compass.
This Easter, the N1 towards Polokwane, especially the route to Moria city and to Beit Bridge, will be heavily policed. The N3 to the coastal city of Durban and N1 to the Free State, Western and Eastern Cape will be no exception. In Mpumalanga on the N4, we expect heavy traffic and we will have heavy strong and visible policing.
We call upon all law enforcement agencies including Traffic Officers, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and RTMC to work together to strengthen the objectives of our national rolling enforcement plan, which aims:
* To reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries by increasing visible and effective policing in hazardous locations
* To increase detection and visibility of pedestrians through reflective clothing and other apparel
* Prosecution of critical offences
* Harmonisation of common operations of traffic enforcement
* To restore confidence in road traffic management fraternity
* The RTMC, together with the provincial authorities and organised labour, must finalise the declaration of traffic law enforcement as an essential service
* Furthermore, to finalise the formation of a national traffic law enforcement unit to augment road enforcement capacity
* To this end, RTMC, together with the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) will be employing 240 traffic officers, who are to be specifically deployed on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Scheme’s open toll road.
* Let us report bad driving to the National Traffic Hotline on 0861 400 800.
Conclusion
Finally, let us reflect very seriously on what Mr. Len Stevens calls for in his letter. Let us look at more sustainable strategies to reduce road crashes. Let us again find our true Ubuntu, compassion and empathy. Help us end this carnage. TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE TO SAVE LIVES ON OUR ROADS. ARRIVE ALIVE!
Enquiries:
Sello Tshipi
Tel: 012 309 3846
Fax: 012 309 3313
Cell: 073 498 6722
E-mail: Tshipia@dot.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Transport
29 March 2010
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