SAB, JMPD partner to make roads safe through audio series

Against a backdrop of the recent increase in accidents recorded during the four-day long Easter holiday – 225 deaths in 185 road crashes – global beer giant SA Breweries (SAB) has strengthened its partnership with the Johannesburg Metro Police (JMPD), on a crusade to send a safety message across the country, making use of the radio medium.

Through storytelling in Ukhozi FM’s radio drama, aiming to drive behaviour change in communities, SAB has launched a national audio series called Zikhethele – Isinqumo Ngesakho (make a decision – the choice is yours).

NOW READ: 225 people died on SA roads over Easter weekend

Five episodes

The Zikhethele series, which will be available on radio and digital platforms over the course of five episodes, commencing on Thursday, is aimed at driving the importance of people making responsible choices on alcohol consumption – being an influence to others.

According to SAB corporate brand director Sphe Vundla, the company wanted “to immerse people in a story that is true to life, which they can relate to, for the nation to realise the power of the choices we make”.

“This at the core of the vision behind the SAB Sharp campaign – our responsibility platform, which seeks to drive behaviour change and promote responsible drinking, advertising and trade of alcohol.

“We are committed to showing up in ways that champion responsibility and uplift our communities,” said Vundla.

He added: “We have made great inroads in normalising conversations around responsibility by turning the Phuza or drunk Thursdays platform to #SharpThursdays, engaging the social media audience.

“I am really excited to see how this multi-channel integrated approach will help us take this existing engagement and education to the next level, with each episode, aired every Thursday at 5pm.

“We really want our audience to stop, think and make better decisions.”

Zikhethele will feature two of South Africa’s leading talents in Fezile Makhanya and veteran actress Gcina Mkhize, who will lend their voices to the lead characters Siya and Thato.

The interactive and in an innovative series, will see the audience being encouraged to vote – influencing decisions of the characters and the direction of the storyline on responsible drinking.

Vision

Mkhize said she hoped South Africans would be “educated, as the story unravels from this audio series”. SAB vice president: corporate affairs, Zoleka Lisa said SAB Sharp was driven by “a vision to ensure safe and healthy communities”.

“We want our communities to be sharp by being economically included, wanting South Africans to drive sharp and having none for the road-working with our retailers to ensure that we sell sharp,” explained Lisa.

On the value of partnerships, Lisa lauded communities and law-enforcement agencies like the JMPD.

Said Lisa: “I am happy to have the JMPD on board, because our partnership allows us to have honest conversations.

“In addressing road fatalities, we have developed a blueprint together, working together on roadblocks and capturing data together – all to ensure safer communities.

“SAB cannot divorce itself from communities where it operates.

“Guiding responsibility in our country is not easy – every day is a learning journey throughout the SAB business.

“Through partnership with law-enforcement agencies, we have annually been able to audit 25 000 taverns and rolled out 20 alcohol evidence centres across the country, for fast and reliable test results.”

JMPD superintendent Michael Botolo said the relationship with the SAB “started around 2009 when everybody had given up on law-enforcement – in effectively handling drinking and driving”.

“At first, we were only concentrating on taking blood samples, which did not work for us. At first our relationship was never supported because it was felt we could not partner with the brewery.

“We had to influence the RTMC (Road Traffic Management Corporation) to look at things differently. We have now found it easier to work together and educate people – a link which was previously missing,” said Botolo.

ALSO READ: SAB, JMPD partner to make roads safer by launching alcohol evidence centres in Soweto

-brians@citizen.co.za