POLOKWANE – The spokesperson of the Department of Transport, Matome Moremi says the thunderous attitude and spirit of Law Enforcement Teams in Limpopo in advancing discipline order and mobility on the province’s roads.
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“As compared to the 3 011 Vehicles stopped in weekend of 10th to 12th November 2017, this weekend we have tripled the number of vehicles that were stopped and checked from Friday 17, to 19 November 2017, making it 9 578 in total,” Moremi said.
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MEC of Transport and Community Safety, Makoma Makhurupetje says the department’s pledge to ensure safety on the roads will come through demonstrating zero tolerance to violations of rules on the road.
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She said this after the number of arrests made in the weekend of 17-19 November has doubled from 20 the previous weekend, to 41.
She continued by saluting the Provincial Traffic Officers who arrested 2 motorists who tried to bribe them over the weekend. “Good traffic officers respect the law and the Badge.”
Statistics from the Medical Research Council and South African Police Service statistics for 2016/17 reveals a worrying picture with 58% of road deaths being alcohol related and 75 034 (208 per day) drivers were found to be driving under the influence of alcohol in 2016/17.
This is a significant increase when compared to 48 338 in 2006/7.
“It is against this background that our Traffic Officers will make it their business to arrest those who are found driving under the influence and we have arrested 11 of them with 2 speedsters and 25 others who already had warrants of arrests for previous summons,” Moremi said.
The department has called on motorists to make a plan to get home safe if they know that they consumed alcoholic beverages, but at the same time appeal to our passengers to say no to be driven by a drunk driver.
