Durban - The IFP believes that the ongoing and escalating increase in road accidents on South African roads has reached national crisis levels.
This is according to IFP National spokesperson, Mkhuleko Hlengwa. At last count, the death toll stood at over 800.
"We are calling on the Department of Transport and its relevant entities and organs to step up visibility and roadblocks in the remaining days of the festive season. We also call on drivers to exercise maximum driving discipline and be tolerant of each other in the desperate bid to save lives," he said.
Hlengwa said year on year the same lamentations are expressed by government without any meaningful corrective action steps to deal decisively with this national crisis which has become an annual horror reality.
"We propose that government convenes a National Transport Indaba to deal comprehensively with this national crisis which has reached tragic proportions as a matter of urgency with a view to introduce legislative reforms and borrow models of international best practice. It is no secret that licence testing centres in South Africa are infested with corruption with the buying of drivers licences happening on a grand scale. The testing manner needs a change," Hlengwa said.
The IFP believes that measures should include but be not limited to:
- Reduction of speed limits on all major roads,
- Compulsory retesting for all licence renewals,
- Revoke the driving licences of habitual offenders,
- Increase the fines for all road transgressions,
- Increase the number of cameras on all major roads,
- Year round roadblocks,
- educe alcohol content in blood of drivers to zero,
- Special driving training for all taxi and bus drivers to further enhance the Public Driving Permits (PDPs),
- Introduce Learner Driving in high school as a compulsory subject,
- Special prosecution interventions for all road related offences, and
- Review of all minimum sentences for road related offences.
"The IFP sends its deepest and most heartfelt condolences to all families and friends who have lost loved ones due this crisis of reckless and irresponsible driving on our roads. We urge all road users to be extra cautious on the roads during this time," Hlengwa said.