Friday evening is the beginning of the weekend, when everyone can relax after a week of hard work, but it is also a time when motorists need to be more vigilant on the road to make sure they get home safely. Hence, the AbaQulusi Public Safety Law Enforcement Department – together with Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and the Immigration Department – set up a roadblock at the infamous Lakeside Crossing on Friday afternoon. The message was clear: Road safety is everyone’s responsibility!

Head of department Mr Naicker explained that a lot of accidents happen daily on the R34. “What I’ve noticed over the 28 years I’ve been involved with traffic in South Africa is that the ABC principles of ‘attitude, behaviour and caution’ are not being exercised. We’ve also noticed that the infrastructure of roads is not up to standard. That also causes a lot of fatalities,” said Naicker.

Safety management has incorporated a 365-day plan through the provincial and national director to make our country’s roads a safer place and impart education to the public under the ABC principles. They check for driver’s fitness and vehicle fitness. The word that goes out to the community is that ‘the road is important when you are driving – whether you are a motorist, cyclist or pedestrian’. “We are taking note of the fatalities in the area. We are losing lives and it is costing taxpayers a lot of money. All of these factors have a negative effect on traffic officers’ morale. This roadblock will assist us by picking up the morale of traffic officers by bringing back traffic management so that motorists know there is law enforcement and it does exist. We will make sure that there is zero tolerance in the Vryheid and AbaQulusi area for the rest of the year.”
Naicker also referred to heavy motor vehicles causing the most accidents and fatalities in the area. He said they are engaging with other stakeholders regarding the routes these vehicles travel on. Motorists must take note that they can get 50% or more off on traffic violations, but they have to work through the court system.

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The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.