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6 April 2009

Today we are officially launching our offensive against lawlessness on our road network in preparation for the high traffic volumes during the Easter weekend.

As government, we want to stop the carnage on our roads through a concerted effort that involves various spheres guided by the National Rolling Enforcement Plan with a major focus on ongoing traffic law enforcement, education, engineering and communication with road users.

During this season our objectives include:
* reduction of accidents, fatalities and injuries on our roads
* increasing awareness of road traffic safety issues
* inculcation of good road user behaviour and encourage voluntary compliance
* increasing detection and prosecution of critical offences
* reduction of road accident trauma and costs
* restoration of confidence and respect for the road traffic management fraternity
* co-ordination of common operations at all three spheres of government
* maximisation of communication of enforcement issues
* creation of fatigue management strategies.

All traffic offences will be targeted. There will be no selective enforcement at the exclusion of any other offence, but special focus will be placed on:
1. Drunken driving
2. Driver fitness: documentation, fatigue and alcohol abuse
3. Moving violations: barrier lines, red light infringements, cell phones, exceeding the speed limit
4. Overloading: passenger and freight transport vehicles
5 Vehicle fitness: documentation, roadworthiness and registration plate enforcement.
6. Pedestrian Safety: pedestrian jay-walking, drink and walk
7. Seat belts: Front and rear seat vehicle occupants
8. Vehicle visibility: defective front and rear lamps.

Special targeted alcohol enforcement exercises will be carried out by provincial and municipal traffic officers.

Speed measurement exercises will be targeted mainly in hazardous locations and these types of interventions will be policed smartly utilising minimum manpower for maximum impact.

We have already started with a law enforcement programme focusing on buses, which resulted into the suspension of close to 100 buses on our roads.

As we plan for the Easter weekend, we have further prepared to operate 24 hours a day through the deployment of a “roving Special Operations Task Team.”

People of the Eastern Cape would recall that most of the road accidents that we have experienced in the past usually occurred during the night or the early hours of the morning, when there are no traffic officers on the road.

In the 2008/09 festive season, this task team reduced accidents by 30%. I have instructed that this team should continue with its work until 2010.

I want to make sure that road traffic safety becomes a priority 365 days a year through a zero tolerance approach. As a result, a number of operations have been conducted in various towns of the province with a particular focus on drunken driving and vehicle fitness.

As we speak, the first group of 160 Eastern Cape youth is undergoing training at the Port Elizabeth Traffic College.

This training will be concluded in 2010 and a concerted effort to give these young people exposure and experience in preparation for the tournament and beyond.

Our Customer Care Centre will operate 24 hours a day during this weekend in an effort to improve accessibility to all road users through our toll free number 0800 644 644.

I am convinced that our law enforcement agencies are ready to undertake this important task with great vigour, as this would serve as a test of our road traffic management strategies for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

We also have more than 500 municipal traffic officers throughout the province, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and other relevant stakeholders such as justice and health, who will be working with us in order to realise our objectives.

We believe that through effective integrated law enforcement operations, great achievements can be made in this province. There will be stop and check operations with a minimum of 15 vehicles per officer per eight hour shift.

Conclusion

This approach of integration and co-ordination of our work gives more weight to our strategies, as we continue to embark on our programme of action to change the lives of our people for the better.

It is when we work together as various spheres of government and our social partners that we can be able to successfully combat lawlessness on our roads.

Thank you.

Issued by: Department of Roads and Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
6 April 2009