The Eastern Cape has developed a special plan for the festive season, which is set to improve road safety.
Speaking at the provincial launch of the 2013/14 festive season Arrive Alive campaign in Lubhasi village on Wednesday, Transport, Roads and Public Works MEC, Thandiswa Marawu, said the plan was aimed at keeping unroadworthy vehicles out of the province.
“We have developed a special plan for this season, which mainly focuses on cross-border operations in order to avoid a situation of vehicles that come to our province with defects and unfit drivers [that will likely] cause accidents.
“We are mindful that our province is the breeding ground of the majority of the South African migrant labour force. Traditionally, these migrant labourers go back to their families during this period. It is during that process when they get involved in serious road accidents,” she said.
Marawu said most of the tourism destinations in the province were fully booked already, especially on the Wild Coast.
She said when the influx of tourists visited these destinations, the province usually experienced high traffic volumes on their routes.
“We will collaborate with all the role players from our neighbouring provinces in an effort to reduce speed offences, alcohol related offences, overloading, reduce pedestrian offences, increase enforcement visibility and communicate road safety messages.”
Marawu said her department would be at the forefront of coordinating road safety operations in order to reduce the carnage on the N2. This would include patrols and sporadic roadblocks throughout the festive season.
She said traffic officers would be visible at every 30km stretch mainly targeting motorists, trucks, taxis, buses, local holiday travelers, international tourists, long distance coaches and dangerous goods carriers.
“We will intensify our road safety operations, working together with the Community Road Safety Councils, traditional leaders, schools and communities along the route, with a particular focus on pedestrians, who continue to die unnecessarily on our routes.
“We will further ensure that our road rangers are more visible through effective monitoring in order reduce the number of stray animals on our roads,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za
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