Rustenburg - Road fatalities are costing South Africa a lot of money, Deputy Transport Minister Dikeledi Magadzi said on Friday.
"The department of health takes care of people who go to hospitals after road fatalities, the department of social development takes care of those who are disabled and will be needing care and Road Accident Fund is the most affected, because in a year they spend over R200 million compensating people who might have been involved in accidents. South Africa is spending billions of rands with respect to road fatalities," she said.
She was speaking at a roadblock on the N4 in Rustenburg, North West.
She was in Rustenburg to lead multi-disciplinary traffic law enforcement and women’s month launch, in a continued effort to reduce fatalities on South African roads. She said the attitudes of road users must change and pleaded with motorists not to bribe traffic officers.
"Why do you give the officer lunch money. You as a driver why are you doing that, you are corrupting them and therefore you are corrupt too. That is why I am saying the attitudes of our road users must change and we are pleading to those who bribe not to bribe our officers and in the eventuality an officer is asking for lunch money report that officer we are saying to the officer at the same time that in the eventuality a motorist is found drunk and want to bribe you [to] report him at the same time, so the briber and bribee must also be responsible for the action they are taking."
Several vehicles were tested at the mobile testing station for roadworthiness while drivers were given information packs containing booklets and emergency triangle.
Two women who were driving with babies in their cars were given, car-seats for their babies.
One of the mothers, Talita Mogashoa said she was happy to have been gifted a baby seat.
"I am so happy. I was not expecting to get anything when we were pulled over, most of us expect a traffic ticket from officers at a roadblock. I have been carrying my six-month-old baby, Orefementse on my lap, she said.