MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

ALL PROVINCES ARE COMMITTED TO THE SPIRIT AND PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION JUGGERNAUT IN SUPPORT OF ARRIVE ALIVE

November 05, 2003

The National Department of Transport met with all provinces and other stakeholders to discuss urgent measures to decrease the number of accidents that have killed more than 50 people in the past few weeks.

The Transport and Traffic Authorities and all the citizens of our country are deeply shocked by the recent spate of crashes involving trucks. Over a period of about 4 weeks there were 5 fatal accidents involving trucks which resulted in the death of more than 58 and serious injuries of 40 innocent bystanders. Speed too fast for circumstances, general reckless, negligent and inconsiderate driver behaviour, as well as poorly maintained vehicles played a major role in these accidents.

This position, which is totally unacceptable, cannot be allowed to continue - Enough is enough. Consequently, all provinces and other stakeholders agreed that a vigorous campaign to claim back our roads and to stop the slaughter of innocents on our roads needs to be embarked upon – they all agreed on the principles and spirit of Operation Juggernaut to be implemented over the next three months, including the forthcoming festive season.

The National Department committed to supporting all provinces with their law enforcement plans and technical expertise. To this effect a team has been set up at National office to work with provinces in intergrated law enforcement and communication plans.

Although the thrust of Operation Juggernaut, in support of Arrive Alive is against unroadworthy freight vehicles, buses and minibus taxis, all unroadworthy and unlicenced vehicles, as well as unlicenced drivers will also automatically be targeted.

Major cities with multi jurisdictional enforcement partnerships will be surrounded by a ring of steel so that every suspect vehicle within a 20 kilometre radius of a weighbridge or vehicle testing station will be escorted in for examination to determine the safety of the vehicle.

Our Arrive Alive Information center confirms that speed, drinking and driving, fatigue, unsafe overtaking, ignoring of traffic signals and other traffic signs, general reckless, inconsiderate, negligent and aggressive driver behaviour, unsafe crossing of roads (Pedestrians), drinking and walking (Pedestrians), tyre bursts, poor vehicle maintenance; brakes, lights, steering and tyres , unsafe following distances are the main causes of accidents.

The severity rate of fatal accidents in terms of the average number of deaths per accident is increased by the fact that seatbelts are not worn as required. A recent survey indicated that 65% of drivers, 38% of front seat passengers and 92% of backseat passengers did not wear seatbelts.

In order to combat this continued daily carnage on our road and street network all provinces, local authorities and other stakeholders will join the battle in full force through "Operation Juggernaut", as part of and in full support of the Arrive Alive campaign.

With effect from midday on Sunday 9^th November 2003, all traffic law enforcement agencies in South Africa will jointly and in full force start to concentrate all enforcement nationwide on the following categories of vehicles.

All freight transport vehicles (trucks), All public transport buses, All mini and midi-buses, All unroadworthy vehicles, All unlicenced vehicles, and All unlicenced drivers.

The sustained operation, with twenty-four (24) hour cover, will run from Sunday, the 9^th of November 2003 to Saturday across the festive season and into the new- year.

All traffic control centres (weighbridges) and government vehicle testing stations countrywide are to remain open for the duration of this operation and accessible to other forces, as well as other suitable locations for the setting up of regular roadblocks for the purpose of the following in order to weigh as many trucks and buses as possible, irrespective of the disruption which might be caused and to do so strictly in accordance with the National Overloading Control Operational Guidelines.

The opening all facilities will ensure that we are able to brake test as many of these vehicles whether overloaded or not on brake roller testers, to check for critical roadworthy items such as, Brakes, Steering, Tyres, Lights, Cracked chassis, The manner in which axles, the suspension and braking components are affixed to the chassis of motor vehicles and the performance of these components and any other aspects that may influence the safety of vehicles, to check for the full spectrum of administrative order in respect of the vehicle and the driver.

All this efforts would be complimented by harsh prosecution of all offenders, suspension from use by issuing Notice to Discontinue Use in terms of the National Road Traffic Act all unroadworthy, unsafe and/or unlicenced vehicles, effecting load corrections, impoundment and arrests wherever and whenever necessary and as provided for in various pieces of legislation, to act firmly, fairly and professionally but with the firm resolve to save lives through making our roads safer.

The National Department of Transport sourced some additional funding from the Arrive Alive Fund, sponsored by the Road Accident Fund (RAF), as well as through internal redistribution of funds to extend selectively for this operation through the usual Arrive Alive channels and formats.

In this regard, funds specifically for law enforcement have been made available to the various Provincial and Local Traffic Authorities, in total R12 Million would be made available to provinces to execute operation Juggernaut. If more money is needed we will make it available.

The Arrive Alive Information Centre will be functioning during the period of this operation and it is expected that all Provincial Centres will also be operational.

The powers a traffic officer has, in relation to overloading control, is contained in section 11 of the Road Traffic Act, 1989 (Act No 29 of 1989) and the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act No 51 of 1977). (Note should be taken that section 31 of the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No 93 of 1996) is not effective yet).

The powers relating to arrest, impoundment and confiscation are contained in the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 and are general to all actions related to a traffic officer’s powers and duties. The powers are allocated to a peace officer. Traffic officers must also be appointed as peace officers to be able to exercise their powers. An officer must carry his or her appointment certificate with him or her to be able to exercise these powers.

From November 2003 to the end of January 2004 continuous communications with the public in general and road users in particular will ensure that they are kept informed on the input and output of Operation Juggernaut. Information on the number of vehicles and drivers stopped and inspected, the number of vehicles of which the use is suspended, drivers arrested, etc and other information will be released to the electronic and printed media on a daily basis.

Only through a joint and cooperative effort, involving all these role players can the success of the operation be ensured.

The fast tracking the Certificate of Roadworthiness (CRW) requirement for all freight (truck) and public passenger transport vehicles, (buses and minibus taxis) is currently under consideration with the view to reduce the inspection interval to six (6) months.

Additionally, and as our professional driver population is ailing, it is intended to reintroduce the annual renewal of Professional Driving Permits (PrDP’s) also as a fast track legislative amendment. Legislation to introduce compulsory medical testing of professional drivers will be introduced early in 2004.

Operation Juggernaut is designed to make our roads safe and to restore our pride in our country after the horrific events of the last two weeks in which a lot of innocent people, many the poorest of the poor and the only breadwinners of large families, have been killed, maimed or orphaned.

Operation Juggernaut is not a project on its own and forms an integral part of the overall Arrive Alive road safety campaign.

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