Deputy Minister of Transport condemns drunk driving

SECUNDA – Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, Deputy Minister of Transport, has announced that the Road Accident Fund on the Road (RAF on the Road) will be in Secunda on 15 March.

This was said at Road Safety gala dinner that was held at the Lillian Ngoyi Centre on Monday, 10 February.

The dinner was aimed at bringing road safety under the municipality’s attention.

“We ask the community leaders to make this announcement to beneficiaries to come and submit their claims.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“The Department has launched various initiatives and programmes in the fight against the carnage on the South African roads, such as the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety Campaign 2011-2020, the 365 Days Road Safety Campaign and the National Rolling Enforcement Plan,” said Ms Chikunga.

She rebuked the public for drinking and driving and said motorists must take responsibility.

“Road fatalities are a major contributor to unnatural deaths in our country.

“40 people die in road accidents every day and the contributory factor is a result of human factors.

“Let us take responsibility and do not drink and drive and when you feel tired, take a nap before you continue with your trip,” said Ms Chikunga.

Ms Lindi Masina, executive mayor of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, said the municipality is aware of the state of the roads in the area and are working to ensuring they are trafficable.

“Due to circumstances limiting us to fix our roads, we have taken a long time to attend to these, but now the district municipality has intervened to help us ensure that our roads are in a good condition.

“We have adopted a zero tolerance to drunk driving and motorists should avoid speed, negligence and reckless driving,” said Ms Masina.