The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Mxolisi Kaunda has noted the 2016 festive season road fatality report released last Wednesday by Minister of Transport Dipuo Peters.
According to the tallied statistics, South Africa recorded 1 714 road fatalities during the 2016/7 festive season, marking a five percent increase from 2015. KwaZulu-Natal became the second province to record the highest increase in the number of road fatalities for the 2016 festive season, after Limpopo.
Mr Kaunda said that he was concerned by the high number of people who lost, and continue to lose their lives on the province’s roads.
He further noted that while there was an increase in the number of crashes and fatalities, KwaZulu-Natal did a sterling work by preventing major crashes, which is attributed to traffic police visibility and participation of the provincial government leadership and stakeholders in various law enforcement operations.
Of major concern is that the people who are dying on our roads are those who are economically active – from the age of 25 to 44-years.
Also 90 percent of these crashes are attributed to human factors such as alcohol and reckless driving.
He said that the department will intensify mobilisation of all sectors of society by creating provincial and national consciousness on road and community safety to end the carnage.
Among the interventions the department is going to put in place to address the road crashes and fatalities will include:
• Reviewing the performance of municipal road traffic authorities individually;
• Adapting the National Road Safety Strategy at the provincial level;
• Revamping the “Mpimpa Hotline” to ensure that motorists, drivers and passengers are able to report on bad driver behaviour to avert crashes and fatalities;
• Assembling a monitoring team of engineering experts who will constantly monitor the condition of our roads and signage;
• Running on-going road safety campaigns;
• Building partnerships with the media and other stakeholders to promote road safety;
• Engaging the Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority to expedite the prosecution and conviction of road traffic offences, particularly drinking and driving; and
• Partnering with the Department of Health to ensure that in all law enforcement operations, a health practitioner is present who will assist to draw blood samples of all suspected drunk drivers.
