Despite all the efforts to curb carnage on the roads the situation does not seem to have improved. For the period 1 December 2013 to 7 January 2014 there were a total of 1147 accidents nationally with 1376 fatalities.

Commenting on the Minister of Transport’s provisional report, Innocent Jumo, President of the South African Road Federation (SARF) says: “We acknowledge that the figures announced by the Minister are only provisional, and that these figures do not take into account the 30-day period allowed in the international practice for people who die 30 days after the occurrence of the road accidents. We also accept the fact that the festive season is not yet over and that the statistics may change significantly. The SARF believes that the figures as announced are already unacceptably high, despite the possible further negative impact from the rest of the festive season, notably this past weekend, and a concerted effort is required to reduce these numbers”.

Overall, 2013 has seen a number of highly traumatic crashes involving buses and heavy vehicles. The Fields Hill heavy vehicle carnage where 24 people perished and the bus crash in which seven young women were amongst the ten people who died in the accident near Melmoth, are but two grim examples of the extent of the challenges regarding road safety.

National Road Safety Strategy

Minister Peters also alluded to the S’hamba Sonke grant which is provided to provinces for the maintenance of roads. SARF agrees that the programme needs to be tightened up as the conditions of some of the roads are in a state of disrepair.

Jumo states, “The importance of proper road maintenance from a road safety point of view is very often underestimated and underplayed.There is no doubt that there is a relationship between the condition of the road and road safety. SARF calls on the Minister to finalise the National Road Safety Strategy and roll it out to all the relevant government bodies.”

“SARF is well equipped and will endeavour to assist government, the private sector and other non-governmental organisations to improve road safety through awareness programmes, training and conferences to share best practices and actions which have been successful in improving road safety. SARF thus welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Transport, of the imminent formation of the Road Safety Advisory Council.”