The country needs more traffic officers, standardised traffic norms, and faster eradication of potholes, a recent road traffic summit resolved.
“It was recommended that a common approach for the recruitment and selection of traffic law enforcement officers should be adopted and that more officers should be recruited...,” transport department spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said in a statement on Monday.
A recommendation was made that traffic law enforcement should be applied consistently across the country. Conditions of employment of traffic officers needed to be reviewed.
“There is a need for the standardisation of norms and standards and capacity building for both traffic law enforcement officers and road safety practitioners across the country.”
The statement followed the traffic summit held in Boksburg on Friday and Saturday, with the aim of making the country's roads safer.
New legislation should be developed to introduce technology to help combat driver fatigue and distraction in goods and passenger vehicles.
Delegates agreed that a system was needed to ensure potholes were fixed quickly.
In her closing remarks to delegates, Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said the plan being developed would inform the Road Safety Strategy 2014-2019.
“While the actual strategy is being finalised, we can put into action some of the recommendations. Issues such as potholes can be attended to right away without delay,” she said. -Sapa