Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
JOINT STATEMENT BY MEC FOR WELFARE & POPULATION DEVELOPMENT, AND MEC FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT, ROADS & PUBLIC WORKS, 21/02/97
Mr Ignatius Jacobs, the Gauteng Mec for Welfare and Population Development, and Mr Paul Mashatile, the Gauteng MEC for Public Transport, Roads and Public Works offers their sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the horror accident which took place on Louis Botha Avenue yesterday, and urges all drivers to exercise greater caution on our roads.
Gauteng alone accounts for 41% of the 500 000 accidents that take place annually in our country, 98% which happen in the urban areas. The Province has an annual death toll of 10 000 people through road accidents, and 50 000 people are seriously injured each year, many of whom are permanently disabled.
When people are killed or permanently disabled due to road accidents, families often lose breadwinners, further exacerbating the extreme poverty experienced by many communities within the Province. The Welfare White Paper confirms that "unemployment amongst disabled people is very high, and for those who are employed, the average income is extremely low".
Government is committed in its responsibility to care for both the injured and disabled as a result of road accidents. Extremely high costs incurred each year by especially the Welfare, Health and Public Works Departments in caring for such people by way of social welfare services, health and emergency care, as well as repair and maintenance of roads. This money could be better invested in other areas such as education and training, housing, and safety and security.
Therefore, all citizens, both drivers and pedestrians, are encouraged to use our roads more safely. This would help minimise the impact of road accidents on the social and economic burdens of families and communities.