The Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) launched its festive season road safety campaign on Wednesday afternoon.

The launch was held a short distance away from the Carousel toll-plaza, along the N1.

“This campaign serves to create awareness and promote safer road usage during the festive season,” newly appointed community safety MMC Grandi Theunissen said.

“Furthermore, our aim is to ensure smooth flows of traffic, prevent negligent and reckless driving which could result in road crashes, injuries and fatalities.”

He added that statistics had shown that the festive season was a period where many fatal crashes occurred and a general decline in obedience to traffic rules. “

According to the national Department of Transport’s statistics, a total of 1 448 people died on South African roads in 1 210 fatal crashes over the 2020/2021 festive season.

“Our province, Gauteng, accounted for 231 of these fatalities,” Theunissen said.

These accidents were all said to have occurred between 1 December and 11 January.

“As part of this campaign, our TMPD officer will be on the roads ensuring law and order in and around Tshwane by enforcing traffic rules and municipal bylaws.”

“It is critical that our officers maintain high visibility on popular routes within Tshwane, the team will also conduct general crime prevention ensuring that residents feel safe during this period,” said.

Theunissen further said that achieving good results relied on all users to be responsible and accountable.

“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility,” he said.

He also took the opportunity to remind motorists to take responsibility for their actions by adhering to speed limits, resting when they were tired, wearing a seatbelt and not drinking and driving.

“The city has a zero-tolerance approach to drinking and driving so motorists are warned that they will be arrested. This will not be tolerated by our officials,” Theunissen said.

Pedestrians were also reminded to avoid crossing freeways and to always be visible, particularly at night.

“Statistics have shown that a large number of road fatalities include pedestrians,” he said.

Also read: Licence centres to remain operational as RTMC tackles festive season lawlessness

He added that the TMPD’s goal was to ensure that all residents travelled and returned safely from their destinations.

“We trust both road users and pedestrians will heed the call to be responsible. Rest assured our TMPD team will not tolerate any lawlessness and offenders will be arrested,” Theunissen said.

He also extended his appreciation to all the officers who would be on duty during the festive season and ensuring that road safety remained a priority.

“Your dedication is commendable,” Thuenissen said.

Chief of metro police Johanna Nkomo said she wished she did not have to speak to residents about road safety annually.

“As a law-enforcer, I feel like I’m in a position where I need to protect citizens against themselves,” she said.

Nkomo also reminded road-users that while there were infamous roads in and around the Tshwane area, they were not dangerous.

“We don’t have dangerous roads, we are the danger on the roads,” she said.

She further called on road-users to stay vigilant at all times and to take responsibility for their own safety as they travelled to and from their various destinations.