While KZN registered the highest number of over 330 deaths, Gauteng was shamefully a close second.

Is it too much to expect that the national Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, and the Provincial authorities have finally been prompted to action by last weekend’s unprecedented slaughter on South African roads?

Over a month ago, after the annual Easter road carnage, Minister Dipuo Peters, surprised everyone by proposing a “name and shame” campaign to improve motorist behaviour.

The irony is that this government stopped an identical and significantly successful campaign in the Western Cape.

She is also reported to have undertaken to investigate the possibility of meaningful mandatory penalties, including prison, for serial road offenders.

Unfortunately, while the principle is sound and the DA has consistently been urging serious consequences for dangerous driving, the Minister will in all likelihood leave the matter in the hands of the Road Motor Traffic Corporation, notorious for its inaction and chaotic management.

Very little is likely to be achieved when there is no sense that the present crisis situation calls for bold and no doubt unpopular measures.

Provinces can help to spark action, in particular Gauteng, with the country’s biggest vehicle population.

We call on Premier David Makhura and the Transport MEC, Ismail Vadi, to claim the initiative and begin the process to overhaul Provincial legislation and criminal procedure processes and to demonstrate real intent to the nation to stop this anarchy on our roads.

Issued by DA Gauteng Province