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News - Date: 02 November 2007
"There will be no mercy for traffic offenders this festive season." This is the message from Limpopo’s MEC for Roads and Transport, Justice Pitso.
He was addressing traffic officers from different parts of the province at Bolivia Lodge, outside Polokwane, last week.
Pitso said it was very important to save the lives that are lost unnecessarily on the roads. "We both acknowledge and believe we can only better the lives of the living and not the dead – hence our efforts to ensure that people do not lose their precious lives on the roads. Experience has taught us that our province often experiences increased traffic flows during the months of November and December. However, this year we have a special calendar of events that will be hosted by our province."
He added: "As you are aware, our province will be making history by hosting the ANC conference from 11 to 23 December, the Mapungubwe Arts Festival will be staged from 8 to 17 December, industries will be closing by 14 December, 16 December is the National Day of Remembrance, Christmas will be 25 December, 26 December will be the Day of Goodwill, 1 January will be New Year’s Day and industries will reopen during the first week of January 2008. Our province is the gateway to the African borders of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique."
He said the festive season always brought high traffic volumes that result in increased road accidents. "The mass exodus of vehicles along the main arterial routes to different parts of our province put our people at risk. Our friends and relatives will be visiting our province to spend time with us during these coming months as they excuse themselves from their busy work schedules. The sudden increase in traffic volumes contributes to reckless driving as drivers start to become impatient with traffic pressures. These events, together with our daily responsibilities of ensuring that our roads are safe, demand that we should be ready to rise to the occasion."
Pitso said his department had developed integrated law enforcement plans, based on experience, previous accident statistics and the events that will unfold during the coming three months. "Plans to control the border posts of Beit Bridge and Groblersbrug have also been developed. Road safety promotions will be staged along the roads in order to assist road users. The creation of road awareness will help inculcate a positive road user attitude. The department will stage road blocks on all roads identifies as critical, in line with statistical reports. Our law enforcement will, amongst others, focus on driver fitness, documentation, fatigue, alcohol abuse, overloading, vehicle fitness, road worthiness, seatbelts, speeding, and cell phones, to name but a few."
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