Tjotjo bribers will all rot in jail this festive season – Limpopo Premier
'Those who think they can do as they please on the roads will be sorely disappointed' - Premier Stanley Mathabatha
LIMPOPO – Premier Stanley Mathabatha says the province has become South Africa’s most preferred holiday destination, especially during the festive season, unfortunately motorists who drive under the influence and disobey the rules of the road remain a big area of concern for Limpopo.
He is hopeful that the launch of the festive season campaign at the Mantsole Traffic Control Centre last Tuesday will help to remedy this.
Speaking at the campaign, Mathabatha said government has communicated with and warned road users since the beginning of the year that they should rectify their habits as there will be zero tolerance for offenders during the festive season.
“Those who have been using our roads since the beginning of this year will attest to major improvements which have taken place and some are still ongoing. These improvements include the work done on the N1, R71, R521, and the R37,” Mathabatha explained.
He said those who think they can do as they please on the roads hoping to bribe traffic officials will be sorely disappointed.
“We have agreed with our officers they must not only reject tjotjo (bribe), but must add an additional charge of bribery to any person who attempts to bribe them,” he said.
MEC for the Department of Transport, Nandi Ndalane, said along with ensuring road safety this festive season, they are going to be harsh towards motorists who do not obey the rules.
“We realised there are several road accidents in our province, especially during the festive season. With that in mind, we will be on the roads at all times to ensure we address the problem of reckless and negligent road users,” Ndalane said.
“We have a programme whereby we will move around to monitor the flow of traffic. Along with our regular fleet, we received an additional 10 cars to help monitor what is happening on our roads this festive season,” she added.
Department of Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, said her department is fully prepared to work with the Department of Transport to help reduce the number of fatalities on Limpopo’s roads.
“We will make sure all our hospitals have their disaster plan in place to ensure we are able to respond quickly in case of an emergency,” Ramathuba assured.
