EDITOR – The Democratic Alliance expects KZN Transport MEC, Willies Mchunu, to account for the staggeringly high number of deaths on the province’s roads this festive season.
National Transport Minister, Dipuo Peters, confirmed that KwaZulu-Natal again accounts for the highest number of road accident related deaths among the provinces this festive season, with 284 people losing their lives.
This is a devastating number and the DA in KZN expresses its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased.
Nationally, 1 276 people lost their lives. Reckless, disrespectful and anti-social conduct by drivers has been cited as the primary cause of most accidents. The figures come despite concern that they do not reflect the full festive season reporting period, which officially ended on 13 January, with the decision to make an announcement seen as an attempt at damage control.
Almost every single day of the festive season has been marred by some form of fatal accident. No more so than here in KZN.
Of particular concern is the high number of pedestrian deaths, which stands at some 40 per cent in any given year. Yet the MEC, in an answer to a DA parliamentary question, says preventing pedestrians from accessing and using the freeways consumes too many of the department’s resources – so they have stopped the action.
The MEC must therefore take responsibility for every death that has occurred on our freeways because of his inaction and refusal to implement to law under this guise.
Another major concern is that, despite ongoing assurances that he and his officials are doing all within their power to reduce road carnage and millions being spent on road safety campaigns, the road death toll belies the effectiveness of these campaigns as the number of deaths escalates.
Then there is the issue of effective law enforcement. Non-compliance regarding vehicle and drivers’ licences, which remains critical. It is no secret that hundreds of vehicles and a vast number of drivers simply should not be on our roads and corruption levels within the department itself need to be addressed without fear or favour.
Radley Keys, MPP
