During the 2024/25 policy and budget speech on August 6, the MEC for public works, roads and transport, Thulasizwe Thomo, addressed the rate of fatalities on the province’s roads.
Thomo said he was deeply disturbed by the persistently growing rate of fatalities on the roads and, as a department, they have responded with renewed urgency by scaling up on law enforcement operations and intensifying their monitoring of scholar transport services. He said the primary objective is to decisively clamp down on reckless behaviour, prevent overloading and ensure compliance with safety regulations across both public and scholar transport sectors.
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“We conducted another successful multidisciplinary law enforcement operation on the R573 to Moloto, led by an all-female team of transport inspectors in commemoration of Women’s Month. These operations are informed by our unwavering commitment to reduce carnage on our roads.”
Thomo said since assuming office, he has been dismayed by the frequency and severity of accidents on the provincial roads, and his visits to the scenes of these tragedies have left him deeply concerned about the need for urgent action to improve road safety.
“I visited the scenes of two horrible accidents where 16 people lost their lives on our provincial roads. In June 2024, 10 people were killed and 24 were seriously injured in the R42 collision near Delmas. A week ago, six learners lost their lives when their school bus collided with a train in Middelburg. Twenty other learners were rushed to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious. Our hearts go out to the bereaved families and we offer our deepest, most sincere condolences during this difficult time.”
Thomo said these incidents and many others put a spotlight on their search for sustainable solutions to prevent road carnages.
“As a department, we appointed 98 additional transport inspectors in April 2024 to deal with non-compliant operators.”
He said the availability of transport inspectors forms the backbone of providing a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week and 365-day Arrive Alive campaign.
He said in pursuit of driving inclusive growth and job creation, the department will focus on public procurement in order to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion. “The rolling out of massive infrastructure creates demand for labour and other construction materials. We therefore have a responsibility to prepare the historically marginalised women, youth and people with disabilities for the upcoming economic empowerment opportunities. I have directed the head of the department to co-ordinate a ‘women and youth in construction’ symposium to be held this month. The symposium is a critical building block to the transformation of the industry,” he explained.
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When speaking about Operation Valazonke, he said the current strategy of fixing potholes is not sustainable – outsourcing of this function is too expensive and it has not yielded the desired results. In response, government is consolidating its resources and intends to build its own capacity to patch potholes through the Valazonke programme.
“A mass drive is being undertaken to recruit road workers who will patch potholes on national, provincial and local roads. Last year, we appointed 131 road workers, but more are still needed,” he concluded.
