Joburg road safety operation
The city has in the past achieved a noticeable reduction in the road death toll and motor vehicle accidents over the Easter period.
This according to Joburg’s Emergency Services spokesperson Nana Radebe during a road safety campaign on 16 April.
Members of Joburg’s Emergency Management Services and Johannesburg Metro police took to the Noord taxi rank on the day to check the road safety of taxis that would be travelling long distances, and to also encourage responsible driving during this time.
Radebe said members of Joburg’s Public Safety Department would be deployed at strategic points across the city over the Easter weekend.
“It is during the Easter period that road accidents increase alarmingly as holidaymakers and churchgoers usually either travel [on] Joburg freeways to their intended destinations, or to Joburg itself as a popular holiday destination,” she explained.
“Long distances and travel times often cause driver fatigue which has always been one of the leading contributors to fatalities and accidents on our roads.”
Radebe added it was also during this time that police and Metro police had in the past seen an increase in illegal trading, especially at intersections and in close proximity to public transport nodes.
“The disregard of bylaws when items are displayed illegally causes an obstruction to pedestrians, unhealthy practices such as urinating in public places and littering must also be addressed,” she said.
“Motorists and those planning on breaking bylaws are warned. We will not tolerate any drinking and driving, correct procedures will be followed and people will be arrested,” she cautioned.
MMC for Public Safety, Sello Lemao and head of Public Safety, Hlula Msimang also took to the streets in an effort to promote road safety.
Lemao said, “Safety is our collective responsibility and we urge the city’s residents to work with the Public Safety Department to achieve an incident-free Easter holiday and make our city a safer destination for our various activities.”
