MBOMBELA- “The high incidence of road accidents on our roads have been as a result of human error and the excitement of being monied.”
That was the assertion of both Premier Mandla Ndlovu and the MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie at the conclusion of a close knit major roadblock they jointly scrutinised last week.
Ndlovu said: “I do not understand why this year our road fatalities have reached a staggering 143 instead of decreasing. It calls on us to heighten our efforts in quelling the figures at all costs. We were ready to tackle the problems on our roads from the onset when the festive started, to date. Our traffic officers were deployed on all roads leading in and out of the province, including accident hotspots.
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“The human element needs to be integrated into alleviating our roads being accident-free and ensuring our expected visitors and tourists, alike, descend and depart from our shores safe, hence we mounted and deployed traffic personnel at all places around the province.
“Despite all efforts, we managed to make our presence felt as we left no stone unturned in our efforts to decrease the statistics. I believe we’re on the right track and we shall eventually win this war,” vowed Ndlovu.
It was an all-out effort to act very tough on motorists returning to their respective homes and some returning home after spending the festive season in the province and the neighbouring Republic of Mozambique – the close scrutiny on all vehicles resulted in a very long queue stretching more than three kilometres.
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A number of discrepancies on vehicles, both light and heavy duty, were conducted with the premier actively conversing with passengers in commercial vehicles and private ones, appealing to them to pay close attention to their respective drivers.
“It is incumbent upon you as passengers, to pay attention to the actions of your drivers because what’s important is for you to arrive at your destinations. If a driver exceeds the speed limit or drives recklessly, it’s incumbent upon you to call him to order to reduce speed or cease his reckless driving or else you’ll never reach your destinations alive, but you’ll be part of the road carnage statistics. Your safe arrival is in your hands,” Premier Ndlovu appealed.
MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie was adamant that that human error was responsible for road accidents and fatalities on provincial roads.
He stated that the problem emanates from people being loaded with money and the excitement of travelling to holiday at their respective homes and others having booked holidays in various tourism facilities.
“That excessive excitement leads to the commitment of errors on the roads, thus affecting not only themselves, but even others using the same route, unfortunately, hence I still repeat: human error causes accidents on our roads. Our traffic officers are always posted along all routes, especially the susceptible ones throughout the province, hence their presence contributes to the reduction of accidents and fatalities,” he said.
He pleaded with motorists to stick using official number plates avoid being penalised.
“A unified response by all stakeholders needs to be put into action and ensure we eradicate accidents and fatalities on our roads and create a safer environment for motorists and passengers to reach their destinations in one piece,” Macie pleaded.
