Pretoria – Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi has called on South Africans to be responsible on the roads during the Easter Weekend.
“We owe it to ourselves, our families, our communities and our country to behave responsibly on our roads. Remember, road crashes and fatalities are preventable and it is always our collective responsibility to support every effort possible to curb this unnecessary pain,” Minister Maswanganyi told SAnews on Wednesday.
Traditionally, Easter holidays are characterised by the mass movement of people, particularly from different religious denominations and as a result, this period normally experiences a high demand for long distance travelling through public and private transport modes.
The Minister said this season calls upon all motorists to be alert and circumspect when they use the roads.
“Parents who are driving with children should be responsible and make sure their children are wearing a seatbelt and we recommend that children should not sit in the front seat. Let’s also make sure that children are also placed in car seats.
“We call upon pedestrians not to use technological gadgets that will impair their vision or hearing,” Minister Maswanganyi said.
He told SAnews that motorists should not be driving while under the influence of alcohol and advised them to rest when they are tired as well as ensure that their vehicles are road worthy.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) has set a target of reducing accidents on the road as well as fatalities during the Easter long weekend by 50%.
During this period, law enforcement officers will be highly visible, conducting operations as well as road safety education and awareness on various routes across the country.
The Department of Transport will be working with members of the South African Police Service and the Department of Health will be testing sugar levels and blood pressure.
The Minister and his deputy Sindisiwe Chikunga will visit various law enforcement activations that will be taking place in various spots around the country. –SAnews.gov.za
