Johannesburg - Traffic safety measures are being installed around nearly 30 of Joburg’s most vulnerable schools.
This follows a spate of accidents involving schoolchildren - and yet another one on Tuesday morning.
ER24 emergency service said several schoolchildren were injured when the minibus they were in collided with another vehicle in Weltevreden Park. They were special-needs children on their way to school; two were taken to hospital.
On Tuesday morning the Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) said officials had started installing traffic-calming measures to improve the safety of pupils and improve driver behaviour.
“We are concerned about the number of children knocked down, injured or killed by speeding vehicles and the JRA is implementing measures to avoid tragic accidents in future,” said JRA acting managing director Mpho Kau.
Traffic-calming measures are a necessity at schools as they force drivers to slow down. High-visibility speed bumps and signs were the best way to indicate to drivers to reduce their speeds, he said.
Which schools will benefit
The first schools on the list are the Sharonlea, Mulbarton, Cyrildene, John Mitchell, Gustav Preller and Sir Edmund Hillary primary schools; the Meridian School in Cosmo City, Marion College in Linmeyer, the Dominican Convent School, the North West Christian School, the Johannesburg Polytech Institute and the Jiswa and MC Kharbai special schools in Lenasia.
Schools that are next on the JRA’s list are Leitshibolo, Christ Church, Karabo, Itekeng, Vukani, Heerengracht, EW Hobbs, Nkone Maruping, Atamelang, Emzimvubu, Hitekani and Mashekene primary schools, the Anchor and Marlboro Gardens combined schools and the Tshadi Day Care Centre. Traffic-calming measures will also be introduced on Mkonza and Msilinga streets in Pimville, and Legwale Street in Tladi.
Horror bus crash investigation
There has been a nationwide renewed focus on traffic safety following Sunday's horror bus crash in the Free State, which killed 10 ANC supporters and injured 59 while they were travelling home to Ekurhuleni from the launch of the ANC’s manifesto in Port Elizabeth.
There are no charges yet against the two bus drivers.
On Monday, Free State police said the investigation found the bus overturned when the two drivers were swopping seats and that both drivers would be charged with culpable homicide.
However on Tuesday morning, Lieutenant Malebo Khosana, spokesman for the Free State police, said an investigation of culpable homicide was ongoing and, once the evidence was gathered, the investigation would be taken to the public prosecutor.
“Should the investigation find the evidence we have warrants it they will be formally charged,” Khosana said. “You don't charge a person right after you open a case. You open a case, then you investigate.”
Khosana said the assistant driver leaned over to grab control of the wheel after he noticed the other driver was having trouble driving.
“He decided to assist getting it back in control, but it was too late,” he said. Police spoke to the assistant driver, who is not in custody, while they haven't yet been able to speak to the man who was driving at the time of the accident as he is still in hospital.
Authorities promise to get tough
Now traffic chiefs from nine provinces have said they are focusing on high-impact road operations for the coming three months to reduce deaths on the roads, warning motorists they would be arrested for serious violations.
Encouraged by the 46 percent decline in fatalities over the Easter period this year, the chiefs decided that road safety operations implemented over the Easter period should be continued throughout the country with special focus on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, said Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesman Simon Zwane.
“Road users are warned to expect a high number of arrests and the impounding of vehicles as traffic authorities try to deal with all factors that contribute to fatalities on the roads,” said Zwane.
The Star