MEDIA STATEMENT

STRINGENT ENFORCEMENT PAYS OFF IN KZN

Stringent law enforcement on KwaZulu-Natal roads has yielded much success with KZN traffic authorities arresting the majority of South Africa's drunk drivers over the past two months as part of Operation Juggernaut. Of the 3 693 drivers arrested for drinking and driving in the country, 1 537 (41,62%) were arrested in KZN and of the 235 030 drivers stopped and checked nationally for alcohol during November and December, 127 629 (54,3%) were screened in KZN.

Further, of the 31 491 law enforcement operations conducted in the country during this period, the most 8 796 (27, 93%) were conducted in KZN made up of 3 076 roadblocks, 1 856 speed enforcement exercises, 1 120 weighbridge operations and 2 744 other law enforcement operations.

In a report released yesterday, the following are some of the highlights of Operation Juggernaut in KZN for the period 9 November to 31 December 2003:

• 162 639 vehicles and drivers were stopped and checked, made up of 35 111 trucks, 9 911 busses, 34 350 minibus taxis, 31 006 bakkies and 52 261 other vehicles.

• 1 666 vehicles were removed from the province's roads for being un-roadworthy, including 606 trucks, 62 busses, 472 minibus taxis, 247 bakkies and 279 other vehicles.

• 42 292 notices were issued over the 8-week period for various traffic offences, including 14 215 for speed and 3 044 for not wearing seatbelts.

• 84 945 person-hours in respect of law enforcement exercises were put into the operations.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Mr S'bu Ndebele has hailed Operation Juggernaut as a tremendous success and has congratulated all law enforcement officers for their commitment and hard work. Ndebele said that the festive season is no yardstick to judge the transport department and debates about road safety should continue even after the festive season to create sustained public awareness about the impact and effects of road crashes.

"I would like to see that moral panic that has been created to continue - but beyond December. The public scrutiny is important and continues to keep traffic officials and the department as a whole on their toes. The media paranoia must not stop. Why is it that road safety is on top of their agenda during the peak festive period and not during the rest of the year? We can't be judged by the festive season. The hysteria and paranoia about the numbers of people who are killed is not enough," said Ndebele.

Ndebele appealed to people to join hands with government to consolidate on the values and norms of road safety and develop a culture of tolerance to ensure peaceful roads. He said his department wanted to explore the causes of pedestrian road deaths during the festive season to ascertain what further measures must be implemented to curtail such fatalities. He said his department was considering a comprehensive road safety audit of potential risk areas for pedestrians.

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