Transport Minister Blade Nzimande has once again urged motorists to be careful on the country’s roads especially during long weekends when traffic volumes tend to increase.
“Road users are called upon to be circumspect when using our road or crossing the railway, as human error accounts for the majority of the crashes we have in South Africa, Minister Nzimande said.
South Africa saw an increase in the number of people travelling to various destinations, this weekend.
There have been several fatalities reported including a car crash on the N6 near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape which claimed the lives of five people on Saturday. Among those who died in the accident were three television actors Akhumzi Jezile, Thobani Mseleni and Siyasanga Kobese.
In Cape Town, seven people, believed to be workers, died after a train collided with a bakkie at the Buttskop level crossing in Blackheath on Friday morning.
According to preliminary investigations, a bakkie was following a taxi on Frederick Road, parallel to the railway track approaching the Buttskop Level Crossing.
As the train was approaching the crossing, the taxi drove across and the bakkie followed the taxi but was unfortunately hit by the train.
The Railway Safety Regulator inspectors swiftly moved onto the scene to conduct preliminary investigations to establish the root cause of the crash.
Minister Nzimande called upon the Rail Safety Regulator to ensure that it continues to work closely with the railway operators to further its information sharing sessions on railway safety operational standard and the enforcement of rail-road interface rules to ensure the safety of South Africans.
“This collaboration will also include working closely with provincial and local government to hold public railway safety campaigns,” said Minister Nzimande.
He extended his condolences to the families and friends of the deceased.
The minister together with the MEC for Transport and Safety in the Eastern Cape Weziwe Tikana will join various road safety activations in Port Elizabeth on Monday.-SAnews.gov.za
