MEC NOMANDLA BLOEM

EASTER ROAD SAFETY LAUNCH

04 APRIL 2023

Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Otola

HoD Mr. Pieterse and HoM Mr. Diraditsile

CPF Leadership, WAC and YAC members present

Traffic Heads and Support Personnel

Religious Leaders and Members of the broader community

Every law enforcement officer on duty this Easter

We are gathered here today to Launch our Easter Road Safety Campaign 2023. The Northern Cape Provincial Government welcomes this nationwide initiative aimed at optimizing the mobilization of our Law Enforcement officers for deployment on our roads to promote safety and the prevention of injury or loss of lives.

We know that people take to the roads during easter to spend time with family and friends. This means more road users and, unfortunately, heightened probabilities for accidents. One always hopes that our festive times will be full of peace and love, but the reality is that we have those who misbehave and break the law - resulting in preventable accidents and the loss of innocent lives.

We remain committed to creating safer spaces and maintaining a hardline against law breakers and recklessness on our roads.

The Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison is supporting the intensifying of Road Safety Campaigns with a robust Action Plan for the Easter long-weekend from 07 April 2023 - 10 April 2023.

 

 

This period is, as we have indicated, known for higher levels of road congestion as industries and schools close and people move to holiday locations or their hometowns. We also know there will be a lot of festivals and parties drawing crowds of people and this places a specific need for vigilance and visibility around these events.

The objective of the Easter Road Safety Campaign is:

• To reduce road trauma and serious injuries, reducing crashes and fatalities
• To focusing on road safety education through maximizing communication and publicity/exposure on enforcement and road safety issues
• To promote good road user behaviour and encourage motorists to comply with the rules of the road

 

The Easter Festive Season Operational Plan will see the deployment of Provincial Traffic and the South African Police Service as force multipliers, as well as our stakeholder departments and other law enforcement units.

Mostly contributing factors are alcohol misuse by both drivers and pedestrians, speeding leading to loss control and or inability to avoid hazards, dangerous overtaking at barrier lines and or overtaking in the face of oncoming traffic.

Other factors are vehicle fitness issues like defective tyres and steering especially on public and freight transport vehicles, pedestrian negligence, for example drinking and walking and jaywalking as well as driver fatigue.

We have identified certain routes and share it with our people so that we are especially vigilant:

• R 31 - Hotazel-Kuruman-Danielskuil-Barkly West-Kimberley. The 31 route between Koopmansfontein and Danielskuil is currently closed for traffic as repairs is under way. This will cause an increase of traffic on secondary routes
• N 18—Warrenton-Jankempdorp-Hartswater-Taung.
• N 12—Warrenton-Kimberley-Modderrivier-Britstown-Three Sisters
• N 14 Kuruman-Kathu-Olifantshoek-Upington
• N 8—Groblershoop-Kimberley
• R 385-Olifantshoek-Postmasburg-Danielskuil
• N10—Upington-Grobelershoop-Bristown-De Aar
• N 1-Colesberg-Richmond-Three sisters

WE will have a four pronged approach on the implementation of the Easter Operational Plan for 2023 focusing on the synchronization of activities including law enforcement, communication, community outreach and stakeholder collaborations.

Operationally, we will focus on enforcement with regards to speed & chain speed, moving violations, road worthiness of Public Transport, impaired/dangerous driving and fatigue management.

There will be tactical roadblocks with SAPS and the Department of Home Affairs and stop and checks to ensure safer vehicles. We will continue road safety education and awareness interventions at Taxi Ranks, bus stops as well as media engagement to ensure road safety messages reach our people. Operations will be intensified, as identified by our analysis, Thursday nights until Friday mornings, Sunday nights until Monday mornings between 16:00 to 02:00.

The Northern Cape accident statistics on road fatalities remains the lowest on average nationally compared to other provinces. We, however, remain vigilant, attentive and visible.

To promote monitoring and evaluation of the operational plan, our traffic centres will submit daily reports and Provincial Office will monitor activities and operations as they occur.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend and thank all the officers who will be leaving their families in warm and festive homes, to go on our roads for long hours so that we are safe. I urge our public to remain vigilant and alert and obey the rules of the road. I wish you all a wonderful Easter Period.

Remember to Arrive Alive.

I thank you