ASIPHEPHE SUMMER HOLIDAY FINAL STATISTICS  

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Mr S'bu Ndebele has announced that the Asiphephe Zero Tolerance Campaign for the December 2001 period has resulted in a 14,4% reduction (31 fewer deaths) as compared to the December 2000 period, thereby saving this Province approximately R12, 56 million Rands. 

At least 149 people died on KwaZulu-Natal’s roads for the period 29/11/2001 to 10/01/2002.The summary is as follows:

• 39 drivers, 71 passengers and 39 pedestrians were killed in 103 fatal crashes. 

• A large percentage of these crashes (about 70%) occurred in local authority areas. 

• Speed, drunk driving, driver fatigue, driver error, unroadworthy vehicles and disregard for road rules have been identified as major causes of these crashes. 

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) charged motorists for 76 182 various road traffic offences for the period 29/11/2001 to 13/01/2002.   

Of the 76 182 offences, 75,9% (57 820) were for speed-related offences. 197 drivers were arrested for drunk driving and 19 for reckless and negligent driving. 2 341drivers licence offences were recorded and 2 173 persons were charged for not wearing seatbelts.  

Drivers were charged for 9 346 vehicle defects and 377 vehicles were suspended for being in an un-roadworthy condition. 

The drivers of 824 heavy motor vehicles and 294 passenger vehicles were charged for being overloaded. 

Further, the Roadside Courts that were situated at strategic points on the N2 and N3 proved yet again to be highly successful. At the roadside court in Cato Ridge a motorist was sentenced to R9 000 or five months imprisonment for travelling at a speed of 166 km/h in a 120 km/h zone. At the Park Rynie roadside court a driver was sentenced to R12 000 for travelling at a speed of 184 km/h in a 120 km/h zone. 

Traffic volumes peaked at more than three thousand vehicles per hour during some days and every available traffic officer was deployed along major routes in the province to monitor traffic flows and to clamp down on dangerous drivers. Motorists were warned to obey the rules of the road and to ensure the safety of other road users.  

Mr Ndebele has hailed the campaign as a tremendous success and congratulated traffic officers for the commitment they displayed. "The success of the campaign cannot be measured by the large number of prosecutions but by the impact that Asiphephe has made on driver attitude and behaviour."  

"Although the road death toll is still too high, the campaign has heightened public awareness of road safety and people all over this province have responded positively to the campaign. Our law enforcement officers have worked many thousands of hours in overtime and dedicated all their available time to enforcement operations. Because of their high visibility, incessant roadblocks and continuous enforcement exercises, the stringent enforcement served as a deterrent to stop people violating the law on the road," Mr Ndebele said. 

"I also wish to thank all other role-players who have contributed to this success. I wish to make special mention of the KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Council under the leadership of Mr Chris Ngiba, who have worked tirelessly to ensure that there were fewer minibus-taxi crashes this festive season. Their hard labour have definitely bore much fruit," Minister Ndebele said.  

N.B. The above-mentioned enforcement figures only reflect the enforcement operations conducted by RTI and exclude the enforcement operations carried out by the Durban City Police and other local authority traffic departments in KwaZulu-Natal. 

For further information and enquiries please contact Vijen Murugan on 082 808 1733. 

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