Road safety campaign launched
Lazarus Mabasa
5 November 2004
The Department of Transport has launched a new campaign with a focus on pedestrian safety as part of the build-up to create road safety awareness and curb accidents during the forthcoming festive season.
Niyabonwa, which is Nguni for "someone sees you", is aimed at complementing the Arrive Alive Campaign.
Director-general in the transport department Wrenelle Stander launched the Niyabonwa Campaign in Johannesburg on Thursday.
The campaign is aimed at ensuring that pedestrians, who have been the victims of a number of road accidents during past festive seasons, are visible on the roads and that they wear reflective belts that will assist motorists to quickly notice them.
The belts will also be supplied to street vendors, such as newspaper vendors, to ensure they are visible as most work along the roads, street corners and busy intersections and at traffic lights.
Stander urged road users, particularly pedestrians, to
wear the reflective belts or bright colour clothing that would assist motorists to identify them.
She also said her department would this year work with a variety of government departments and local authorities to create safety conditions for people on the roads.
"With the various government departments, we want to always remind road users of the dangers and their responsibility to ensure safety. Our strategy is to combine education, awareness and enforcement activities throughout the country," she said.
"We also want to allocate additional safety resources to places that pose the greatest risk," she added.
According to Stander, the department will this year clamp down on unroadworthy vehicles and drivers not complying with the rules of the road.
"We will station law enforcement officers in different locations throughout the country with particular focus on high traffic routes and dangerous locations.
"These officers will be tasked with
improving safety by identifying and removing unroadworthy vehicles and arresting or fining drivers or pedestrians who disregard the rules of the road," said Stander.
She promised that the department will also clamp down on drunk drivers and those who were unlicensed, reckless, speeding and overloading their vehicles.
Source: < href=http://www.gcis.gov.za/buanews target=new>BuaNews
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