16 July 2002
The National Minister of Transport, Dullah Omar accompanied by MEC for Transport in the North West Province will today visit a number of pedestrian safety projects in the Greater Tshwane Metropolitan Council. Omar said that there were specific projects introduced in Winterveld, Soshanguve, Mabopane, Ga-Rankuwa, Atteridgeville, Mamelodi and in Pretoria to deal with the high numbers of pedestrian deaths.
More than 40% of deaths on South Africa’s roads annually are pedestrians.
“It is totally unacceptable to see so many people killed on our roads every year. We are putting all our resources and efforts to address this matter urgently. I have requested all the MEC’s for Transport in all provinces to identify hazardous locations where most pedestrians are killed and develop programmes to address the problem”, Omar said.
Most pedestrians ranging from school children, the elderly, the economically active, youths and disabled people die on our roads annually. Statistics indicate that approximately 4 000 pedestrians are killed annually. The only fact that so many innocent lives are being lost annually makes pedestrian safety one of the issues that is on the top of the agenda this year.
Omar said he has instructed his Department and the SA National Roads Agency to look at roads design. “Some of our roads are built in such a way that pedestrians are not taken into consideration as road users. Communities in rural and peri-urban areas do not always have pedestrian walkways and then resort to crossing in the middle of the road even highways often with severe consequences for themselves.
The Minister called upon all roads-users to take extra care when walking and driving on South Africa’s roads. He said people should do this everyday of their lives. “I don’t want people to wait for our intensified Arrive Alive Campaign in December or during the Easter Weekend to hear road safety messages. Road safety should be our daily bread and we should all play our part”, Omar said.
Minister Omar also conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims of the bus accident near Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape on Sunday night. “We all grieve with the friends and family of those killed and injured in this tragic accident”.
Issued by
Mike Mabasa
HEAD: Media Liaison and Corporate Communications
Tel: 083 680 7048
Cell-fax: 083 676 8450