Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Tuesday that it was deeply saddened to learn that 1 714 people had lost their lives on South Africa's roads this past festive season, a worrying five percent increase from the previous year.
"We extend our condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of every person who tragically lost their life on our country's roads over the past month," DA shadow minister of transport, Manny de Freitas said in a statement.
"Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time."
This comes after Transport Minister Dipuo Peters on Tuesday released the road crashes and fatalities figures for the 2016/17 festive season. Peters blamed unqualified and reckless drivers for the significant five percent increase to 1 714 in road crashes and fatalities.
De Freitas said Peters' 'business as usual' approach to road deaths was not working and that department cannot continue with the status quo approach any longer.
"It is clear from these very concerning figures that something is seriously wrong with the approach being adopted by government," de Freitas said.
"The reality is that every year the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, presents the media and South Africa with the same recycled plan to deal with the carnage on our roads, from campaigns that don’t work, to threats to introduce more punitive measures."
De Freitas said the DA would request that the Portfolio Committee on Transport place at the top of its agenda the increase in road deaths in 2016, with the aim of investigating the efficiency and effectiveness of government's plan to deal with this matter.
"The DA will also be submitting a series of written questions in the National Assembly to probe whether all the Department's pledges, made following the release of the 2015 road deaths figures, were fully implemented in 2016 and to what degree," de Freitas said.
"This will include determining whether the 2016 campaign was adapted at all, and on the basis of what evidence."
During a media briefing, Peters said the department would take necessary action to turn around the situation including reviewing legislation, implementing drivers' license demerit system, improving roads and introducing minimum sentences for negligent and reckless drivers.