EMPD launches road safety easter programme
EMPD chief urges people to drive safely during the Easter break.
The EMPD launched the Hlonipha Umthetho Easter Programme in Kwa-Thema next to the Duduza taxi rank on March 27.
This programme aims to reinforce road safety in light of the Easter weekend, which tends to be chaotic as people are travelling in and out of the city.
Metro police came in numbers to ensure vehicles were roadworthy.
EMPD chief of police Isaac Mapiyeye, the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) executive mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana and MMC for Community Safety Sizakele Masuku were present at the launch.
“We have picked up on several challenges in the past. In 2020, we had only one fatal accident. In 2021 we had zero, in 2022 we had two and in 2023 we had 11 fatal accidents. We realised pedestrians were the contributing factor in seven of those 11,” Mapiyeye said.
“We want to send a message to our pedestrians and motorists that we should take care of ourselves. We want to see all motorists at the end of Easter happy together with their families,” he added.
He also urged those travelling long distances to obey the rules of the road.
“Motorists who will use the main routes to Durban or Mpumalanga, as those routes are the biggest interchanges of Gauteng, must be sure to obey the rules of the road,” he said.
A stop-and-search operation was conducted where motorists were pulled over. The officers gave the motorists safety advice and encouraged them to be safe and compliant with road safety rules.
“We are appealing to our drivers, to make sure that their taxis are roadworthy because we don’t want to see any accidents this Easter,” Ngodwana said.
“Don’t drink and drive and when you are tired, rest so that you don’t cause unnecessary accidents. Our police officers will be on every corner ensuring that motorists are safe.”
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