Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure launches road safety campaign
The provincial road safety campaign is in partnership with Santaco and NTA.
MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo has appealed to road users to change their attitude and behaviour on the road in an effort to reduce road fatalities in Gauteng.
Mamabolo spoke at the launch of Hlokomela – Ndlelanhle, a Gauteng roads safety campaign, recently.
It is also a partnership between the provincial government and Gauteng’s major minibus taxi associations, the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) and National Taxi Alliance (NTA).
The campaign kicked off with joint law enforcement operations on the N12 and Grasmere Toll Plaza on the N1 south of Johannesburg, where Mamabolo and taxi leadership interacted with motorists, encouraging them to observe and adhere to the rules of the road.
They also emphasised the importance of inspecting vehicles for roadworthiness, as well as sharing information on public road safety.
The joint operation is the outcome of the resolutions taken at the Provincial Taxi Summit held in July this year.
Following the summit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the department and the associations for the taxi industry to assume a leadership role in spreading the message of road safety in Gauteng.
Speaking at the launch, Mamabolo stressed that the responsibility and decision to making change rest with the driver.
“We are appealing to motorists to change their conduct on the roads to assist us in drastically reducing road fatalities.
“They should refrain from using cellphones while driving, not speed, refrain from reckless overtaking and ensure their vehicle is roadworthy,” said Mamabolo.
Mamabolo added the department has also entered into an agreement with Gerotek, a subsidiary of Armscor, to introduce advanced driving training in the taxi industry.
“This is the first step in our efforts to change driver behaviour on our roads. We have decided that the taxi industry, as a major people-mover in our province, should lead the programme to reskill our drivers.
“We have come to a realisation that there are weaknesses in driver training and advanced driving is a major step towards improving the driving skills on our roads,” said Mamabolo.
The campaign continued on December 14, along the N1 and N4 in the northern parts of the City of Tshwane.
This was in partnership with Bakwena Company, responsible for designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining the Bakwena N1 and N4 freeways.
“In the coming weeks, we will be in every corner of the province, spreading the message of road safety,” said Mamabolo.
Santaco’s Midday Mali said the organisation is in full support of the road safety campaign and thanked the Provincial Government for partnering with the taxi industry.
He added the association is embarking on a number of rank activations to reinforce the road safety messages to drivers.
NTA’s Thami Buthelezi shared Mali’s sentiments, adding they will encourage their drivers to take regular rests when driving long distances and ensure vehicles are roadworthy.
