The theme for the 2023 October Transport Month (OTM) campaign is "Siyakha", which means building a better transport system to grow South Africa together. This was relayed by the Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Ms Florence Radzilani, when she addressed traffic officials and stakeholders on Monday morning at the Makhado Traffic Station.
Starting the day, the MEC accompanied 26 provincial traffic officers, 12 municipal traffic officers, and 35 police officers as they conducted roadblocks on the N1 north around Louis Trichardt. Altogether 550 vehicles were stopped and checked throughout the day, with seven warrants of arrest issued to the value of R4,100 per fine. One bus and three taxis were impounded and 30 summonses were issued.
According to Radzilani, the N1 and the road to Punda Maria are among some of the accident hotspots in the Vhembe District. She said the department was aiming to reduce road fatalities this season by increasing operations. She said that a pattern of overloaded buses and taxis and motorists driving long distances without stopping to rest had been detected.
Radzilani said they had a strategy in place to ensure that all motorists complied with road regulations. "We set targets for ourselves, so that people have to hold us accountable on the basis of our own commitment. We are going to maintain a constant presence of traffic officials on a 10km radius on our busy roads," she warned.
This year, the department introduced the Taxi and Truck Driver of the Year competitions as more means of encouraging drivers to observe traffic rules. Pedestrians are also called on to wear visible clothing and not walk in the middle of the road at night.
The MEC further urged traffic officials to be neither negotiators of bribes nor to accept bribes from those who disobey traffic rules. "When on duty, please do what is supposed to be done, irrespective of who the motorist is, and don't take bribes from anyone," she said.