Thank you, Programme Director,
The Premier of Gauteng, Mr. Panyaza Lesufi
MECs
RTMC Board Chairperson Mrs. Nomusa Mufamadi and other board members
RTMC CEO Advocate Makhosini Msibi
CEOs of other road entities
Representatives of civil society and all stakeholders
Members of the media
Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished guests and friends,
We are here to launch the 2024 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign at a time when we are still celebrating 30 years of freedom and democracy.
It’s been 30 years since our first democratic election and whilst we have much to celebrate related to the progress which our country has made since 1994, we must also be brutally honest about the fact that we have a lot of work to do to make our roads safer and to reduce road fatalities.
Ladies and gentleman, in his address to the National Council of Provinces this past Thursday, the 28th of November 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa again stressed our government’s commitment to inclusive economic growth, accelerated job creation and reducing poverty.
Road crashes have a negative impact on our economy – and I will come to the cost shortly – but, more importantly, road crashes and deaths have a devastating impact on families and communities.
The statistics are scary and staggering.
According to the RTMC’s State of Road Safety Report for the period 1 January to 31 December 2023:
South Africa had 10,180 fatal crashes in 2023 which resulted in 11,883 deaths. Let us just pause for a minute to understand what that means. In plain English: South Africa saw 11,883 people dying in 2023 because of crashes on our country’s roads.
- 5,360 pedestrians lost their lives on our roads in 2023. The provinces where pedestrians are most at risk of dying are Gauteng (1,412), Kwazulu-Natal (1,200) and the Western Cape (757).
- 21,3% of road deaths in 2023 involved hit-and-run incidents.
- Alcohol and speed are two of the biggest contributors to road deaths.
- 1,285 road deaths happened during the 2023 festive season. In other words, 1,285 people died in this period last year.
Ladies and Gentlemen. The high number of road crashes and the related consequences has a significant impact on South African society. The impact is measured in terms of human lives lost, “pain, grief and suffering”, and comes at a significant cost to the economy.
In addition to the human cost, the cost of crashes includes vehicle repair costs and related incident costs. Last year (2023), road crashes cost our economy no less than R205 billion. That translates into a whopping 2.74% of GDP for 2023.
For further perspective, the RTMC also quotes the Global Road Safety Report, which tells us that:
• Based on 2019 data on the age distribution of all-cause mortality, road traffic injury remains the leading cause of fatalities for children and young people aged 5–29 years.
• Road traffic fatalities impact people during their most productive years. Approximately 66% of fatalities are among people aged 18–59 years and 19% are aged 60 years or above.
Ladies and Gentlemen. These statistics are sobering. The number of road crashes and the impact on our people and our country is a tragic story of death and destruction, year in and year out.
Behind every statistic is a story – a life lost, a family left grieving, or often there is a person dealing with life-changing injuries.
Government alone cannot change this reality. We can only save lives if road users change their behaviour, because it is the behaviour of people that led to most of the 11,883 deaths on our roads last year. Even though the number of road fatalities/deaths decreased by 4,4% from 2022 to 2023, one death is one too many. So far this year (2024), 10154 people have already died on our roads.
Talking about sobering statistics leads me to the obvious and logical conclusion: All road users must take the necessary action to keep safe and ensure that we reduce the number of crashes on our roads.
As the (still) relatively new Minister of Transport, I want to make it clear that the national Department of Transport and all relevant government departments and agencies must and will work together to ensure that we reduce road crashes and fatalities.
As the Department of Transport - and Government - we have set ourselves the target in the National Road Safety Strategy of halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030, in line with the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety.
We are working alongside the RTMC, as well as provincial and municipal departments responsible for transport and road safety, amongst others, to ensure that government does its utmost to make this a safer festive season.
All traffic officers, police officers and law enforcement authorities must enforce the law without fear or favour. Road users must know that they will face the consequences for breaking the law. If fathers, mothers and innocent children are going to die or be injured because of the actions of irresponsible individuals, then those individuals must face the consequences.
From today, the 1st of December 2024, we, South Africans, must say that the carnage on our roads must end. This 2024 festive season - and heading into 2025 - we must not only say we are going to change our behaviour on the roads, we must act. Each one of us must do everything possible to save lives.
Research done by the RTMC in 2016 shows that three factors are the main causes for road accidents:
• Human behaviour;
• Environmental conditions such as heavy rain; and,
• Road design.
Most importantly, human error is the major factor contributing to road crashes.
There are more than 13 million registered vehicles in South Africa, with 1.2 million of those being towed vehicles such as caravans, trailers and the like. This means that drivers must ensure that their vehicles are licensed and road worthy.
Given the data at hand, and with the (limited) resources at our disposal, the Department and RTMC have set about implementing targeted interventions this festive season that are aimed at changing driver behaviour and enhancing our enforcement actions
Our campaign strategy is based on four pillars:
• Responsible Driving
• Pedestrian Safety
• Enforcement and Education
• Collaboration
As part of the plan, based on collected accident data, we have identified 20 priority routes where most crashes occur. These include:
• Limpopo – R71 Mankweng, R37 Mecklenburg and the N1 Naboomspruit.
• Mpumalanga – R573 KwaMhlanga, N4 Vosman and N4 Nelspruit.
• Gauteng – R21 Kempton Park
• North West – N12 Potchefstroom and N12 Klerksdorp
• KwaZulu-Natal – N2 Pongola and N2 Umkomaas
• Eastern Cape – R61 Mzamba, N2 Libode, N2 Idutywa, R61 Umthatha, N2 Mount Ayliff, R61 Libode and N2 Umthatha.
• Western Cape – N2 Khayelitsha.
Stringent monitoring has been put in place to ensure the implementation of our law enforcement plan on these routes and others.
The best research available tells us that most crashes occur during weekends, late at night and in the early hours of the morning. Accordingly, 24/7 traffic policing will be conducted on these routes over the festive season.
Law enforcement will focus on ensuring that drivers stick to the speed limits. Traffic officers will also inspect vehicles and lock up those caught in the act of drunk driving. Law enforcement will also be focused on border posts which experience a large increase in traffic during this time of year.
Alongside our patrolling interventions, we have also undertaken a campaign of focusing on targeted messaging on radio and social media during this period.
The Department and RTMC have partnered with civil society groups and faith-based organisations who will be rolling out the education and awareness campaigns in their communities to ensure that all road users are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
We can only lower the number of deaths during this festive season and make our roads safer through targeted interventions that include all sectors of our society and employ all the tools available to us.
I would like to send a warm word of gratitude to all the faith-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and all stakeholders who have partnered with us in this campaign.
To our law enforcement officers, the emergency personnel and all roads agencies that will be working over this period, I wish to say thank you for your commitment.
To those who will be travelling to various destinations inside the country and our neighbouring states during this period, let us remember that road safety is everyone’s responsibility, and ensure that you and your loved ones arrive alive.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion, I want to send a few clear messages to the public on behalf of the Government of South Africa:
1. Road crashes cause injuries and death so, when using the roads this festive season, take your safety seriously – and the safety of others.
2. Before any journey:
- Check your vehicle and make sure it is roadworthy!
- Carry a valid driver's license.
- Make sure your Public Driving Permit is in order if you need one.
3. If you are a pedestrian this festive season, make smart choices:
- Only cross the road at a marked intersection or pedestrian crossing!
- Avoid jaywalking!
- Wear bright clothing at night!
4. Fatigue is a silent killer. If you’re on the long road, take a break every two hours or every 200 kilometres.
5. Remember, buckle up and stay within the speed limit.
6. Don't overtake on a barrier line. Travel during the day. It is safer.
7. If you are a pedestrian and you’ve been drinking alcohol, stay off the roads!
8. Do not drink and drive! The consequences are very serious and you could end up in jail!
9. Plan ahead – if you’re going to drink alcohol, use public transport or designate a driver.
10. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility! Ensure that you and your loved ones Arrive Alive!
Ladies and Gentlemen. Please celebrate responsibly this festive season! Together, we can make our roads safer.
Thank you