The Minister of Transport, Ms Dipuo Peters, launched the "Cross Alive" road safety initiative at the Beit Bridge border post last Friday.
Peters said that cross-border road transport played a critical role in ensuring trade and social cohesion amongst the SADC countries. "It serves as the carrier of passengers and goods throughout the region on a daily basis. It is therefore important for these passengers and goods to be transported in a responsible, safe and secure manner at all times," she added.
She expressed her concern about the safety standards of vehicles and equipment, "including the dimensions of vehicles and vehicle combination used in cross-border movement."
Peters said that, through the campaign, they would ensure that vehicles that carried unsafe loads "will be a thing of past" and she warned that traffic inspectors would focus on unsafe loading during the coming festive season. "All vehicles which are not roadworthy will be removed from the road and drivers will be prosecuted," she added.
She mentioned that the economic activity in Musina was growing as a result of the about 30 000 cross-border travellers from Zimbabwe and other northern countries entering the country on a daily basis for trade.