Keynote address by MEC Florence Radzilani
Road Safety Launch – Easter Long Weekend.
Jane Furse Sports Ground.
Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality – Sekhukhune District.
Tuesday, 26th March 2024.
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Programme Directors: Clr Rankoe and Ms Maesela.
Members of the Pedi-Mamone Royal Council.
The Executive Mayor of the Sekhukhune District Municipality – Clr Minah Bahula.
The Mayor of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality – Clr Merah Mahlase.
Councillors from both the Makhuduthamaga Local and Sekhukhune District Municipalities.
The Provincial Commissioner – Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe.
Deputy and District Commissioners and Officials from the South African Police Services.
The Head of Department – Mr Stephen Matjena and Officials from the Department of Transport and Community Safety.
Officials from the Local and District Municipalities.
Our fraternal partners from:
– The South African National Taxi Council,
– Impact Catalyst.
– Coca Cola Beverages.
– Kopano Bus Services.
– South Africa National Small Bus Operators Council
– Transport Education Training Authority.
Members of the Media.
Distinguished Guests.
The people of Makhuduthamaga.
Fellow South Africans.
I greet you.
Programme Directors, let me start by sending our heartfelt gratitude to the leadership of both the Makhuduthamaga Local and Sekhukhune District Municipalities, for opening their doors when we came ‘cap in hand’ knocking, requesting for a venue to host this event.
We view this reception and acceptance of our request, as a collective acknowledgement by all spheres of Government, that road fatalities, just like gender-based violence, crime and corruption, are indeed a societal matter.
Our choice of venue is occasioned by the persistent occurrence of road fatalities, in this District.
As I stand before you, in our group of a few hundred, I am also addressing the Millions of other road-users, who will be travelling on our roads, during this Easter Long Weekend.
As we are approaching this long-weekend, a period punctuated by intense travelling by people going on holiday and family gatherings, we expect an increased presence of vehicles, on our Provincial roads.
Here in Makhuduthamaga, we expect an influx of traffic at the Jane Furse 4-way stop.
We also expect high volumes of traffic on the R37 at the Bothashoek junction, which Government has tremendously developed.
We are also looking forward to high traffic volumes, as the various congregants will be heading to their various pilgrimages, throughout many parts of the Province.
For our part, as the Department of Roads and Transport in the Province, we shall be deploying our best arsenal, to ensure maximum visibility on our roads.
We shall be deploying a systematic methodology, of placing our Officers at strategic points, to ensure a constant presence, on all the identified spots which are known for accidents.
This democratic Government has rolled-out a colossal infrastructural programme and built world-class roads, that must best serve its people, and not become a catalyst to their deaths.
It is our firm view that road deaths are preventable and would not happen, if we all adhere to the road safety regulations.
We owe it to our forebears, that this democracy that they have toiled so hard to construct, with some of them paying the ultimate prize, should not be a death pedestal, for their off-spring.
Our obligation to the memory of the great Peter Nchabeleng, the erstwhile Lawrence Phokanoka, the resilient Kgosigadi Madinoge Kgoloko, and a litany of other Freedom fighters, who emerged from this great kingdom of Sekhukhune, is the driving force that compels us, to remain in touch with our motif forces, in this District.
Those who will be undertaking longer trips during this period, must observe occasional rests, and also ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy.
Programme Directors, over the past few months, we have recorded a notable increase, in the number of road fatalities on our roads, within this District.
They are too many to single-out, but the one that stands out, and is still fresh in our memories, is the fatal crash that claimed the lives of 7 people at the intersection of N11 and D2534, in the Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality.
6 people out of the 7 victims, in that fatality, were members of the Mmotong family, who were travelling with their friend, from Pretoria in Gauteng to Tsimanyane.
In the world of journalism and newsrooms, these are just road fatality statistics.
But to their immediate family members, victims of road fatalities are brothers, sisters, parents, children, uncles and nephews.
Road fatalities do not only rob families of their loved ones, but they also cut short the lives of bread winners.
We have extended an invitation to the Pedi-Mamone Royal Household, because we are alive to the reality that, creating safer communities, requires a multi-pronged method, that involves all sectors of the society.
We have also been joined today, in this gathering, by the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe and Members of the Police Service, because of our shared resolve, that road safety requires a multi-disciplinary approach.
Together with the South African Police Services, we shall be conducting a series of road safety operations, throughout the Province, as we launch an onslaught on drunken driving, and many other traffic offenses, on the road.
We are going to be merciless on overloading, unroadworthy vehicles and many other traffic transgressions, during this period.
Programme Director, of the 181 lives that were lost on our roads, during the previous Festive Season, 48 were lost in this District of Sekhukhune.
21 of the 62 pedestrians who were killed on our roads, over this past Festive season, were from this District.
This means that we have lost more lives in this District, that any part of the Province, during the 2023/24 Festive period.
It is therefore befitting, that we had to descend to this District, to have this intimate interaction with our people.
The majority of the accidents happen along the R37, the N11 and the R579.
Where there are pedestrians involved, this happens late in the evening, as they walk from taverns and shebeens to their homes.
This gives rise to the suspicion that the majority of pedestrians who are hit by cars, in the evening, are mainly intoxicated.
It is for this reason, that we have tailored our road safety programmes towards pedestrians, as they are a critical component of our road-using community.
We have also noted a worrying pattern, where motorists drive away, after hitting pedestrians.
Programme Director, of the 62 pedestrians who were killed on our Provincial roads, this past Festive period, 30 were ‘hit and runs’, meaning that the motorists opted to drive away, after the accident.
We have brought with us to this occasion, our social partners from the business fraternity and the South African National Taxi Council.
We enjoy sustained and cordial relations with the taxi industry, because we value the bond we have with Santaco.
We appreciate the intervention by the South Africa National Small Bus Operators Council, of assisting Government in its quest towards women empowerment.
We are also aware of the financial injection that the Bus Operators have made, towards the success of this event.
We are encouraged by this collaborative effort and act of patriotism, and it is our believe that with the assistance of business, this Government can achieve the insurmountable.
As I conclude, I want to sent my singular gratitude to the Mayor of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality, Clr Merah Mahlase and the Executive Mayor of Sekhukhune, Clr Minah Bahula, and members of their Councils, the SAPS and other Government Departments, for their contribution towards this Launch of the 2024 Easter Road Safety Campaign.
I thank you.
