 
MEDIA STATEMENT
S'BU NDEBELE THANKS ROAD USERSKwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Mr S'bu Ndebele has congratulated road users for their improved road behaviour over the last few days which has resulted in not a single road fatality recorded on Christmas Day. While stringent enforcement and road safety programmes is paying off, MEC Ndebele expressed disappointment that the fatality rate is still too high. "I am hopeful that the remaining festive days will be fatality free. That no one dies on the roads is all that I want. That is not too much to ask of passengers, pedestrians and drivers," Ndebele said. "In KwaZulu-Natal we work around the clock to make sure that people are safe on the roads. In comparison to statistics from previous years, we have shown a decrease in the number of fatalities. I am confident that this is because of the stringent enforcement mechanisms we have put into place. We are taking the drunken drivers off the roads, dealing with pedestrians who are not adhering to road safety rules and depleting the resources of the speedsters," said Ndebele. "These past few days saw at least 50 cases being handled by the road side court at Cato Ridge. And our officers will continue with the same zeal and enthusiasm throughout this period and beyond," Ndebele said. MEC Ndebele also commended law enforcement officers for their tireless efforts in trying to ensure that fewer lives are lost on the province's roads this holiday season. In this regard, KwaZulu-Natal was saved from a major disaster yesterday when officers from the Public Transport Enforcement Unit (PTEU) impounded a bus near Ixopo, which if not detected, would have definitely resulted in a crash with multiple fatalities. Since December 1 motorists have been charged for more than 40 000 traffic offences by KZN RTI Officers alone. Of this figure, 261 drivers have been arrested and charged for drunken driving, 24 735 drivers prosecuted for speeding, 1 448 for seatbelts, 681 for driving licence offences and 816 vehicles were removed from the roads for being in an un-roadworthy condition. Meanwhile, more than a thousand drivers have been arrested and charged for offences ranging from drinking and driving, speeding and reckless/negligent driving as part of Operation Juggernaut, which commenced on the 9 November 2003. As we head into the New Year we also want road users to exercise extreme caution. We are now entering the 'Party Phase' of the Festive Season with massive beach celebrations all along the coast and at all inland resorts. This is usually a period of excessive drinking. Party-goers are warned that the frequency of alcohol roadblocks will be increased in anticipation of the tendency of some sectors of the population who over-indulge at this time of the year. Also, all media are invited to join us on a blitz against pedestrian unlawfulness tomorrow. We will pick up pedestrians along the freeways and drop them off at the nearest police station. We will be leaving from Independent Newspapers, Greyville, Durban at 10h00.
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