‘Fight for safer roads must go on until it is won’ – says MEC Motlhabane

North West Community Safety and Transport Management MEC, Dr Mpho Motlhabane called on South Africans to unite on promoting road safety and dealing with road crashes and fatalities.

Speaking during the National Road Safety Debate and Participatory Education Technique competitions held in Rustenburg, Motlhabane said the fight must continue until the country is free from death pain and young people living without having fear of road injuries and been able to walk, ride and cycle on the roads.

“In the same way that South Africans were united in their struggle for eradication of the oppressive regime, let us join hands and continue with the struggle for eradication of road crashes and fatalities.”

Our success on this fight is entirely reliant on every South African citizen because road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Our roles might differ but what matters all is the ultimate goal of implementing the National Road Safety Strategy 2016-2030,” said Motlhabane.

The National Road Safety Strategy 2016-2030 was approved by Cabinet early this year, which will address the challenges and gaps identified by the Department on the implementation of the previous road safety strategies.

He continued encouraging young people to take lead on championing road safety campaigns. “You you are good responsible citizens and we trust that you will continue with the same attitude even when you are grown up and driving on the roads,” he concluded.

The Road Safety debate is aimed at encouraging learners to be aware of road safety issues, teach them to take responsibility of road safety issues that affect their communities and to develop and enhance the learners’ presentation, communication and listening skills.

While the Participatory Education Technique (PET), learners debate around the road safety problems and possible solutions to address such challenges. Two approaches are been used, which involved theory and practical exercises. Learners are been adjudicated on models and presentations illustrating their community road safety problem and researched solutions.

The challenges such as lack of drop-off zones, lack of speed humps and bumps, lack of pedestrian crossings speeding, faded road signs, ignorant road users, lack of fencing along the national and local roads which results in animals going stray, were the main focus of the debate competition.

Learners from Tlamelang School for the disability from Gelukspan NW attained position two on road safety debate on disability category beaten by Gauteng who took first position. On rural category Mpumalanga outshined and secured themselves the first place followed by another team of North West on second place.

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