KUTLWANO OLIFANT, STHEMBISO SITHOLE, ANGELIQUE SERRAO and KARABO SEANEGO
DON’T become a road death statistic this Easter. That’s the message from Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi, who was speaking yesterday at the 2012 Easter Road Safety Campaign launch in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Community Safety.
“We urge road users to obey the rules of the road and take necessary precautions to ensure that their vehicles are in a roadworthy condition,” said Vadi.
“The message is straight-forward – don’t become a road death statistic during this period. Make road safety everybody’s responsibility.”
Vadi asked pedestrians to make use of pedestrian crossings, or cross a road where it’s safe to do so.
And both Vadi and Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko warned motorists not to overload vehicles, to take rest breaks every two hours and to be courteous towards fellow road users.
Mazibuko said the unveiling of the campaign complemented the national launch presided over by Minister of Transport S’bu Ndebele in KwaThema, Springs, on March 18.
There were 272 road fatalities in Gauteng this past December.
Mazibuko said camps had been established at various locations in the province, including Moloto Road, the N1 at Wallmansthal and the N3 and N14 Petro Port Total garages. Motorists could get information and assistance and were encouraged to use filling stations to rest when tired.
Earlier, dozens of taxi drivers at the Faraday taxi rank fled as both MECs paid a surprise visit. Mazibuko said five taxis were confiscated.
Meanwhile, the Automobile Association has warned motorists that this Easter weekend will be a busy one despite rising fuel costs.
AA spokesman Gary Ronald said they were expecting the N1 to Polokwane would be the busiest route as Zion Christian Church members make their way to Moria.
The N3 and N4 will carry a lot of traffic from tomorrow morning until midday on Friday, as will the N1 and N2 to and from Cape Town.
Ronald warned motorists to be safety conscious while making their journeys and recommended that these easy steps be taken: plan your route; adhere to the six-second following-distance rule; have a rest break every 200km or two hours; adjust your speed to the prevailing conditions; and buckle up.
Traffic officials are gearing up for the Easter rush and are not taking anything for granted.
The Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) has come up with an extensive operational plan that will see it collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams comprising the SAPS, SAPS Air Wing, cross-border patrols, the Gauteng traffic police and the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
“Focal areas will include vehicle fitness, driver fitness, drunk driving, moving violations, excessive speed and overloading,” said TMPD spokesman Console Tleane.
There will be highly visible patrols and systematic checkpoints on the N1, N14, N4, Moloto Road, R80 (Mabopane highway) and R101 (Old Warmbaths Road).
“The SAPS’s Air Wing will patrol highways during peak hours on April 5-9. Sporadic air patrols will also be conducted throughout the weekend. Motorists are asked to be patient at toll gates as high volumes of vehicles are expected during peak hours,” said Tleane.
This belongs to THE STAR NEWSPAPER.
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