DWARSLOOP – Motorists who transgress road safety rules are in for a tough holiday season as they will face the music.
This was articulated by the minister of transport, Ms Dipuo Peters during the official launch of the Easter Road Safety Campaign on Friday.
The main objective of the campaign, the launch of which was attended by hundreds of community members, is to heighten the implementation of the 365 days road safety programme.
Joined by MECs for public works, roads and transport, Ms Dumisile Nhlengethwa and community safety and liaison, Mr Vusi Shongwe and Bushbuckridge mayor, Cllr Renias Khumalo Peters conducted a roadblock on the R40 between Bushbuckridge and Acornhoek.
“What we saw during the roadblock was an embarrassing thing to witness. People driving with flip-flops, vehicles that are not roadworthy and licence discs that have expired a long time ago.
“This is not going to be tolerated on our roads because innocent people end up paying for other people’s negligence with their lives,” said Peters.
She further warned taxi owners that extra harsh measures were going to be taken against them should their taxis be found with faults, adding that they needed to keep in mind that an accident did not only affect the passengers, but their families as well.
“Giving an unroadworthy vehicle to your drivers is the same as handing over a loaded gun to go out and shoot and kill people.
There’s a number of people who are affected by one deadly taxi accident and always remember that whenever you embark on any road trip,” she said.
Peters also urged young children to refuse to be driven by intoxicated adults and in so doing save their own lives.
“It’s better to be safe than going for a ride with a person who will put your life at risk.
“Whether it’s an uncle, father or any family member, if they are drunk, refuse to jump into that car,” she told the children.
Mpumalanga News spoke to several motorists who said they were prepared to do their part in ensuring road safety.
Meanwhile, Trans African Concessions (TRAC) is preparing to accommodate the escalation of traffic typically experienced on the N4 during the Easter weekend.
A variety of emergency-response teams will be stationed at Alzu Petroport in Middelburg on Thursday and Monday (the busiest days on the highway) from 10:00 to 22:00 from where they will be dispatched simultaneously in the event of an incident or accident.
The participating services include ambulances, paramedics, the flying squad, Fire and Rescue, provincial traffic, pathology units, TRAC Accident Response and TRAC Road Assist Response.
The EMS helicopter will be on standby at base camp throughout the campaign.
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) will also once again take to the roads on to promote road safety interventions at taxi ranks, petrol stations and via various media platforms.
