Skyrocketing levels of road fatalities has forced the Gauteng Department of Community Safety to embark on a major campaign to save lives in the province. The campaign, started early this year in various public areas around the province, recently saw the department and Central police work together at the Bosman taxi rank and Bosman train station in Pretoria to promote road safety and fight against crime.
It provided commuters and taxi operators with an opportunity to interact with the department and raise their concerns, while the department encouraged them to adhere to the rules of the road at all times to protect their lives. Among the campaign’s focus areas was emphasising the importance of pedestrians being cautious when using the road to reduce fatalities in the streets.
It was reported that during the recent Easter weekend, from 18 to 21 April, the national death toll was 48 fewer – 193 against 241 – than that of 2013. About 40% of those killed were pedestrians. The Department of Community Safety spokesperson, Thapelo Moiloa, said the awareness campaign educated both commuters and taxi drivers on the importance of adhering to the rules of the roads. “Obeying the rules of the roads will go a long way in minimising accidents caused by motorists’ and pedestrians’ behaviour,” Moiloa said.
Police members, department officials and traffic officers handed out pamphlets encouraging the public to take safety rules seriously. Taxi operators did not let the opportunity to raise their concerns go by, and said they were unhappy with the way traffic law enforcers, especially the metro police, treated them.
Paul Mathipa, a taxi driver, said the metro police often fined them for offloading commuters anywhere in the street, yet had not designated areas for this to occur. “The taxi industry needs offloading zones similar to bus stops, rather than fines when we have no proper zones to offload commuters in town. There are a lot of bus stops, but no taxi stops,” Mathipa said.
Police used the opportunity to promote the fight against crime. They said their presence at the campaign was important in encouraging people to work with the police in fighting crime and they too promoted safety at bus ranks, taxi ranks and train stations. Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Makalela said they were working hard to eliminate crime around taxi ranks. “Some drug addicts roam around taxi ranks and steal from commuters. Their days are numbered. Enough is enough.” He warned criminals that they would be arrested, as there were a number of people working with police to fight crime.
The police encouraged commuters to work with them by coming forward with any information that could help lead to the arrest of suspected criminals in public areas.
