news
Zero
tolerance
Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele unveils a plaque in August 2009 at the official launch
of Rea Vaya, the new Johannesburg Bus Rapid Transit system
T
housands of international supporters will descend on
South Africa for the soccer World Cup. ‘Our obligation
is to ensure that those who use our roads are able to do so
safely,’ says Minister of Transport Sibusiso Ndebele. ‘Road
safety is everybody’s responsibility and we will only reduce
the carnage if we place more value on human life, and
exercise respect on our roads.’
A revised strategy
‘The current traffic law enforcement system is not effective.
If we want to stop counting bodies, we have to change it.’
In an effort to make a difference to road user behaviour,
which the minister describes as ‘atrocious’, a policy of zero
tolerance and harsher penalties for road offenders is being
introduced. ‘Obey the rules,’ says Ndebele, ‘or pay the price.’
In addition, there are a number of new initiatives aimed
at educating South Africans about road safety.
photography: GALLO/GETTYIMAGES
Stricter law enforcement
Government is taking a hard line with the implementation
of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences
(AARTO), which will contribute to more expedient resolution
of road traffic court cases. It will also introduce the demerit
system countrywide later this year.
Drivers will begin with a clean slate of zero points, with
points accumulated for defaulting. Once they reach 12 points,
their licence is suspended. Stringent fines, especially for
speeding, and immediate action for grievous offences such as
drunk driving mean that habitual offenders may forfeit their
licences or find themselves in jail. ‘If you want to continue
driving a car, you must behave responsibly,’ says Ndebele.
A global vision
Ndebele represented South Africa at the first United Nations
Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Moscow in
South African motorists need to
place more value on human life,
says Minister of Transport
Sibusiso Ndebele
November last year, which the AA’s MD, Karen Bryden, also
attended. Participating countries restated their pledge for a
Decade of Action for Road Safety, but Ndebele has declared
his intention to halve the number of road fatalities by 2015.
Community input
Community Road Safety Councils will soon be part of every
municipality in the country. These councils will empower
communities to identify and act on road safety challenges in
their districts. ‘We want as many stakeholders as possible to
actively participate in these councils,’ he says. ‘Whether you
are a driver, passenger, pedestrian, vehicle owner or traffic law
enforcer: accountability, consideration and vigilance save lives.’
Road safety at school
The Department of Transport and the Department of Basic
Education are to introduce road safety education as part of the
life skills curriculum in schools. This grass roots approach is
being carried out by the AA as well, with the introduction of
its scholar patrol training programmes (see page 68).
In conclusion
‘We want to move with speed to put in place measures that
have proven effective in reducing crashes,’ says Ndebele.
‘South African motorists deserve safer roads. Together we
can win this battle against road deaths.’
DID YOU KNOW?
• Unless the current situation is remedied, by 2015 road
crashes will be the number one killer of children aged
five to 14 in Africa, outstripping malaria and HIV/Aids.
• Africa has the highest road death rate per population
in the world.
51
Minister of the transport.indd 51
3/17/10 9:05:03 AM