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MEC dilly-dallies on 24-hour traffic law enforcement

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Dear MyPE

Another school holiday has passed and the carnage continues on our Eastern Cape roads, while the same promises are made, but no real action is taken.

The DA repeats its call to Transport MEC, Weziwe Tikana, for the immediate implementation of a shift-system for 24-hour traffic law enforcement on Eastern Cape roads.

Six months ago, I asked the Transport MEC, Weziwe Tikana, what steps or initiatives her Department had in place with a view of curbing the number of deaths on our roads.

MEC Tikana’s response, the department is conducting road safety awareness campaigns through mass communication and scholar education programmes, and that this was intensified over the holidays.

Last week, between 5 July and 7 July, 14 lives were lost. This is simply unacceptable!

Where is the 24-hour law enforcement that we were promised during her budget speech last year?

In her latest budget speech, MEC Tikana admits that the roll out of this service has been delayed, and is now expected to be implemented sometime over the next three years.

Three years is simply not good enough. People are dying on our roads daily and more needs to be done now!

In the Western Cape traffic officers are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This needs to happen throughout the Eastern Cape to help bring down the number of road fatalities.

What steps are being taken to improve the quality of the roads that are literally disintegrating due to lack of maintenance?

What steps are being taken to put up fencing to prevent stray animals wandering onto the roads?

Six months later and there is no improvement in the condition of our roads, no 24-hour traffic services have been initiated, potholes and stray animals are everywhere.

I have again written to the MEC to provide statistics regarding road fatalities and pedestrian deaths, as well as what new steps they have taken to curb the number of road deaths.

I urge Eastern Cape road users to be vigilant on our roads at all times. Be aware and help save lives.

Regards

Marshall von Buchenroder

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Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.