Pretoria – A plan to reduce the number of vehicle crashes on South Africa’s roads includes the introduction of a 24-hour shift for traffic officers.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) will work with provincial traffic authorities to intensify law enforcement on the roads to reduce road fatalities.
CEO of RTMC, Advocate Makhosini Msibi said the 24-hour shift will contribute to increased police visibility and ensure greater impact on the prevention of traffic offences and a reduction in traffic fatalities.
“South Africa recorded the most shocking and unprecedented road carnages over the weekend with 141 people confirmed to have been killed in 110 motor vehicles collisions in all provinces,” the RTMC said on Monday.
Anti-corruption operations will also be intensified to deal decisively with driving schools that connive with licensing officers to issue drivers’ licenses to underserving candidates.
The operations will also focus on the fraudulent issuance of roadworthy certificates to public transport and freight operators.
Traffic officers will also receive further training and development to be able to do their work effectively and contribute towards reducing fatalities on the roads.
Adv Msibi said additional on-the-job training to be provided to traffic officers will focus on equipping officers with skills to enforce overload control, dangerous goods transportation, vehicle examination, license examination, road traffic information and road traffic legislation.
They will also be trained to do high speed pursuit and interception.
“Road safety is not negotiable. It is everyone’s responsibility to behave appropriately on the roads and where they fail there must be consequences,” he said. – SA.news.gov.za
