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KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY MINISTER S'BU NDEBELE AT THE ROAD SAFETY PRAYER MEETING AT KINGSMEAD STADIUM, DURBAN19 May 2002
Together we can stop the carnage on our roads. If all of us make Road Safety our business, together, we can stop the carnage on our roads. Almost all South Africans have some personal experience of tragedy resulting from road violence. No one has escaped the violence on our roads. Rich and Poor, Black, White, Coloured and India, Road violence does not discriminate. Siyabakhumbula, Let us Remember Them. But in memory of the tens of thousands of people who have died on our roads and in support of the tens of thousands of bereaved families, let us today pledge ourselves to end road carnage in KwaZulu-Natal. We are gathered today in a Day of Prayer. We are blessed to have such a large congregation. We are blessed to have leaders of all religious denominations in attendance. We are blessed to have leaders from all sectors and all stakeholders in attendance. With us are Amakhosi, elected political leaders, Taxi Councils, freight industry, public transport, Rural Road Transport Forums, Community Road Safety Councils and business community. If all of us, as leaders and as citizens, are prepared to stand up and be counted as ambassadors for road safety, then, there can be no doubt that together we can end the carnage on our roads. Together we can save tens of thousands of lives. It is a scientific fact that the major causes of crashes can be attributed to:
It is clear from these statistics that it will prove impossible to guarantee a safe road environment unless all of us play our roles. In April alone, 58 people died on KwaZulu-Natal roads. This month there have already been 19 deaths. And today is only the 19th of May. I am appealing to all the leaders present to apply their minds as to how best they can contribute to road safety campaigns. Religious leaders more than any other sector appreciate the severity of our crisis. Every day they pray at funerals of victims of road violence. I am appealing to you to go beyond your responsibility to bury the dead and to take on the responsibility of counselling the bereaved and using your pulpit and church sermons to preach the gospel of road safety. To the Amakhosi present, I am appealing to you to work closely with the KwaZulu û Natal Department of Transport officials, Community Road Safety Councils and Rural Road Transport Forums to identify hazardous locations and situations (example cattle on roads) and to take appropriate preventative actions. I am also appealing to you to play a leadership role in promoting road safety education in your communities. To the Taxi Councils and public transport sector my appeal is that you recognise your special responsibilities. Bus and taxi crashes inevitably result in the loss of lives for many passengers. It is a scientific fact that excessive speed does play a role in 30 % of all crashes and 50 % of crashes involving public passenger vehicles. We have the technology to govern vehicle speeds. It would be in the interest of public transport passengers to use this technology and to strictly monitor driver behaviour. To the freight industry, I am appealing to you to recognise that driver fatigue, excessive speeding, overloading and inadequate maintenance are the major contributing factors in freight crashes and freight-related fatalities. Clearly, it is possible for you to introduce systems that will counter these known causes of freight crashes. Clearly, it is in the public interest that you do so. To all the drivers present today û please acknowledge that driver behaviour and driver error are the major cause of most road crashes and crash-related fatalities.
You can prevent death on our roads. It is within your power and it is certainly your responsibility. To the pedestrians present û know that walking under the influence of alcohol is the major contributing factor in 40 % to 50 % of vehicle/pedestrian collisions in urban areas and 30 % to 40 % in rural areas. Pedestrian fatalities in KwaZulu-Natal are high. They need not occur at all. (OMELA NGASEKHAYA) To all our performing Artists û millions of South Africans listen to your words and celebrate with you your special talents on a daily basis. You are a part of the daily lives of all South Africans. You can use your talent to send out messages of road safety in your songs, your lyrics, your music and poetry to millions of South Africans. To the media û give road safety the space that it deserves. To the KwaZulu-Natal public I am appealing to you to practice safe and courteous road behaviour. Only you can bring about a cultural change to our road behaviour. We need to transform from a culture of road intolerance to a culture of road respect and mutual care. This is our civic responsibility. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport will play the role that we are mandated to play. We will continue to champion zero tolerance enforcement programmes. We will continue to root out corruption and fraud in driver and vehicle testing and licensing centres. We will continue to dedicate funds to ensure that the public is well informed and educated in all aspects of road safety. We will continue to improve the road network û in particular we will undertake appropriate remedial engineering measures at all hazardous locations. We will continue to promote safe, affordable and comfortable public transport. We will play our role. However without you we will not achieve a safe road environment, a safe road culture. All of us must commit ourselves to playing our respective roles. Together we can end the carnage on our roads. Together we can make KwaZulu- Natal and South Africa safe. Thank You.
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