Transport MEC Makhurupetje lays down the law to traffic cops

Transport and Community Safety MEC Makoma Makhurupetje was expected to lay down the law when addressing over 1 000 traffic officers from all districts during the Internal Provincial Traffic Imbizo at Bolivia Estate on Tuesday.
The gathering was reportedly intended to deliberate on issues that include the recent spate of fatal road accidents in the province. The imbizo followed concern expressed by Makhurupetje that the majority of traffic officers fail to execute their duties guarding the N1 and other busy roads as expected as they sit in the cars the entire shift doing nothing hence allowing non-roadworthy vehicles to operate on the roads and reckless drivers not being brought to book.
The MEC raised this concern during the official launch of 2018 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and Prayer Day against Road Fatalities and the launch of the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign during a media briefing at her office last Thursday.
On Sunday, religious and political leaders initiated a cleansing ceremony at respective identified spots where fatal accidents had occurred over the past two months.
This was followed by a prayer service at Ephraim Mogale Stadium in Modimolle that was addressed by Premier Stan Mathabatha and Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande, it was learnt.
“A shortage of road signs also contribute to reckless driving, as a result we are engaging relevant stakeholders such as the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) to erect more signs. We want the N1 from Kranskop to Polokwane to be expanded, there is no question about that, hence Sanral must just tell us when they will commence with construction.

“As we move closer to the Festive Season, the incomplete Polokwane bypass will cause havoc and as a result we are in talks with involved stakeholders for them to ensure that the bypass gets completed before the December holidays,” Makhurupetje stressed.
Following a blockade of the N1 by the Economic Freedom Fighters in Limpopo last week, Sanral confirmed that limited activities on the project had resumed during October and that the revised completion date was June next year.
She went on to caution that the Provincial Government was not going to allow trucks from foreign countries to cause fatal accidents in Limpopo and that they have to find other modes of transport such as speed trains and flights to move their goods from one point to the other.
Speaking of air transportation, Makhurupetje stressed that Gateway Airports Authority Limited board has issues to oversee the airport which resulted in financial challenges, adding that they are trying to find suitable ways to make the airport active for companies to consider using flights instead of trucks to transport their products.
When contacted for an update of the imbizo on Tuesday, Departmental spokesperson Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala emphasised that this was an internal imbizo and not open for the public and the media. He said the reason was for traffic officers to be free and disclose all the challenges they face.
He indicated that the MEC wished to conduct such sessions in all the five districts but due to time constraints she convened a provincial gathering which was attended by over
1 000 officers. Moremi-Taueatsoala concluded by saying they would communicate what has been discussed at the imbizo in due course.

Story & photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za