Tembisa - Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has called on churches and traditional leaders to help spread the word that road safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Speaking at an interfaith road safety revival, which was attended by various church formations and traditional leaders at Mehlareng Stadium in Tembisa, the Minister said government alone cannot win the fight against road deaths.
“We can’t succeed alone. We lose breadwinners on our roads,” she said at Sunday’s gathering which forms part of activities around Transport Month, held in October.
The Minister said the visit to Tembisa was aimed at informing the community about road safety.
About 50 people are killed on South Africa’s roads daily. “The blood on our roads must come to an end,” she said, adding that current interventions to stop the road carnage needed the help of churches and traditional leaders to succeed.
“We are asking you to spread the message.”
The Minister also spoke out against the use of cell phones while driving as well as drunk driving.
She also called on motorists to grant pedestrians an opportunity to cross roads safely. “When you see a pedestrian at a crossing, wait for them to cross,” she said.
The Minister’s sentiments were shared by Member of Parliament, Mathole Motshekga, who called on people to respect the rules of the roads.
Minister Peters also called on taxi drivers to stop fighting for routes and a strengthened railway police so as to protect commuters on trains who are victims of robberies on trains.
Meanwhile, as part of Transport Month, the Minister signed a pledge for road safety.
So far more than 333 000 people have signed the pledge and the department wants to have a million signatures by the end of December.
“We need more people to sign the petition, we must have a million by end of December,” she said. - SAnews.gov.za
