MEDIA RELEASE
From Cape Town to Laingsburg, SANRAL drives mega road safety event on the N1
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy and SANRAL CEO Reginald Demana at a multidisciplinary law enforcement traffic operation on the N1 outside Touwsrivier
Cape Town, 22 December 2024 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) this week held mega road safety activations along the N1, from Cape Town to Laingsburg.
The multidisciplinary affair involved three road safety events with road users at Engen Winelands 1 Stop, Shell Ultra City Breede Valley and Engen Laingsburg 1 Stop, as well as a law enforcement operation just outside Touwsrivier on the N1. SANRAL Regional Manager, Randall Cable, explained that while SANRAL did not operate in the law enforcement space, the agency worked closely with other roads authorities – including the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and Western Cape Provincial Traffic.
“This is the time of year when people travel extensively on the national road network, visiting friends, family and loved ones. Unfortunately, it is also a time when we see a significant increase in the number of serious crashes and fatalities,” said Cable. “We are working with our colleagues in law enforcement to create an environment more conducive to compliance, and also more forgiving of human error,” he added.
SANTACO Western Cape Chairperson, Mandla Hermanus, stopped at the Engen Winelands activation and added SANTACO’s voice to government’s appeal for improved behaviour on the road.
“We have engaged our taxi drivers seriously, pointing out the precious cargo they carry in the form of human lives. Our drivers are encouraged and incentivised to individually commit to improved behaviour and compliance with the rules of the road,” said Hermanus.
Speaking at an integrated law enforcement checkpoint on the N1 just outside Touwsrivier, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy reiterated government’s commitment and interventions to save lives and turn the tide on road fatalities.
“At the beginning of this festive season, we launched a national road safety plan which involved deploying one thousand national traffic police officers across the country, to 20 defined hotspots, that have over the years seen the largest number of crashes,” she said.
“We have also worked together with our provincial counterparts to make sure we have consistent and maximum deployment of all provincial traffic officers. Responsible behaviour on the road saves lives. Let’s all arrive alive this season,”
said Creecy.
SANRAL CEO Reginald Demana noted that SANRAL roads were in fair to excellent condition and more than capable of handling the increased traffic volumes.
“From an engineering perspective, the roads are safe and in good driving condition, yet many of the serious and fatal crashes occur on the national roads. This tells us that engineering alone will not solve the problem. We need behaviour change. Drinking and driving, speeding, pedestrians walking along the freeways; this has to change,” he said. Road users who stopped at the various rest and service sites – where SANRAL’s team had set up relaxing and inviting activations – lauded the agency for this initiative.
SANRAL concluded the day in Laingsburg, where Executive Mayor of the Laingsburg Local Municipality, Councillor Amanda Kleinbooi, thanked the many visitors who stopped in the town for fuel or refreshments, noting the economic impact this had on the town.
Kleinbooi said, “Thank you, SANRAL, for bringing this operation to our town, encouraging people to stop, take a break, stretch their legs and get some entertainment for their children – especially when they are frustrated from being stuck in a vehicle for long periods. I want to encourage people to make a point of staying over in our town and experiencing the hospitality and tourism appeal of the Central Karoo.”
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