Death trap feared

The death of 12 people in three separate accidents on the province’s roads on the weekend raised concern about a looming black Easter as millions of pilgrims and tourists are set to converge on Limpopo from today (Thursday) onwards.
These accidents came within days after Transport and Community Safety MEC Makoma Makhurupetje launched the 2019 Easter Road Safety Campaign at Moletji on Friday.
She once again emphasised that law enforcers will have a zero-tolerance attitude towards motorists breaking the rules of the road.
“As we expect to receive millions of people going to different churches and family gatherings including Moria Zion City (ZCC) pilgrimage, traffic flow will be high on our major routes especially on the R71 to Moria, N1 from Gauteng to Beitbridge, N11 and Gilead Road from Groblersbridge,” she said in a statement.
Concern over high traffic volumes expected to bottleneck south of the city where vehicles of the N1 and R101 are to join onto the bypass towards the R71 to Moria, Makhurupetje indicated that plans were in place for motorists entering and exiting the city. “We had several engagements with South African National Road Agency Limited (Sanral) and we knew the bypass would not be ready by Easter. We have together with Polokwane Municipality’s traffic department put plans together to ease traffic flow into the city onto the bypass,” Makhurupetje said.
As part of the plan Departmental Spokesperson Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala indicated that more officials will be deployed to conduct point duty. A total of 1 130 officers will be deployed on Limpopo roads over the weekend.
Makhurupetje added that the department together with other law enforcement agencies are ready for Easter weekend. “The main aim for 2019 Road Safety Easter Weekend Plan is to stabilise, reduce road traffic crashes, serious injuries and fatalities as well as to ensure intelligence-driven deployment of both human and material resources on identified hazardous locations in order to promote safer roads during the Easter weekend period.”
She urged anyone who will be travelling through the province to obey the rules of the road.
“Deaths caused by road accidents around Easter weekends are a harsh reality we face on our roads and can only be rectified through a change in the behaviour of all road users. In most cases, the tragic stories of innocent lives ruined through road accidents are a result of reckless behaviour or un-roadworthy vehicles,” the MEC reminded.
She referred to the roads to be affected by heavy traffic and those regarded as accident hotspots. These include the R71 Mentz, R37 Ga-Chuene, N1 Botlokwa, R 529 Dendron, R576 Maswanganyi and Nhlaniki, R81 Xikukwane, R71 Makhushane, R36 De Oaks, R37 Burgersfort CBD, N11 Marble Hall and Jane Furse, R555 De Hoop Dam, R524 Dumasi, R523 Rabali, R578 Elim, N1 Mookgopong and N11 Tshamahantsi (Uitsig).
“We can never overemphasise the importance of road safety. Let us make road safety everybody’s responsibility. Drinking and driving is highly irresponsible and we urge the public not to drive while intoxicated or travel with a driver who is under the influence,” she said.
Meanwhile, Makhurupetje extended her condolences to the families of six people who were burnt beyond recognition after an accident on D4100 between Magatle and Mamphokgo village in Sekhukhune early Sunday morning.
According to Moremi-Taueatsoala the accident happened when the driver of a rental car allegedly swerved into the wrong lane facing oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a Ford Ranger bakkie. Both vehicles caught fire causing six people to burn beyond recognition, according to Moremi-Taueatsoala.
The exact cause of the accident is still being investigated but speeding cannot be ruled out.
Moremi-Taueatsoala also referred to other accidents in the province on Friday. Five people were killed when a sedan and a bakkie collided head-on at Silver Mist in Magoebaskloof on Friday. It is alleged that the driver of the bakkie swerved into the opposite lane and collided head-on with a sedan killing five people instantly. One was seriously injured and a case of reckless and negligent driving is being investigated, according to Moremi-Taueatsoala.
On the same day one person perished after a vehicle overturned on the R71 outside Gravelotte. Another person was seriously injured and the cause of the accident is being investigated.
Mamphaswa Seabi of the Provincial Police Communications Centre indicated that the Police will be out in full force not only on roads but also in crime hotspots where concerns of looming violence were raised.
“Limpopo as a popular tourist destinations with masses of pilgrims converging here during this time of the year will see criminals out to reap where they did not plant. Members of the community are advised to be vigilant at automatic teller machines and never accept help from strangers. Livestock owners are advised to brand their animals so that they can be identified. Drunken driving and fatigue always result in culpable homicides and people should refrain from driving under the influence of liquor,” Seabi said.
He added that different operational units will be on the ground around the clock until the end of the Easter period. All roads leading in and out of Limpopo will be under surveillance day and night – road blocks, patrols and intelligence-driven operations will be conducted sporadically, according to Seabi.
“Any form of criminality will be thoroughly dealt with to ensure that Limpopo remains peaceful and crime free during this time of the year,” he warned.
Department of Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana indicated that the department’s state of readiness will only be revealed today (Thursday).
It was also learnt that a meeting between stakeholders on the readiness for Easter was held at Netcare Pholoso Hospital on Tuesday. Topics discussed reportedly included emergency medical services and hospital readiness, management of critically ill or injured patients and ethical and legal aspects.
ER24 Operations Manager for Limpopo region, Brian Alchinn indicated that they have deployed an extra ambulance in the region and that all other emergency vehicles will be stationed at strategic locations across the province.
Istha McMillan, Mediclinic Limpopo Patient Experience Manager could not have been reached at the time of going to press.

Story: RC Myburgh
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