Through their close links to communities who live in proximity to the road network, the concessionaires are increasingly involved in campaigns that promote safer road behaviour.
The private sector companies that manage important stretches of South Africa’s freeway network are vital partners in SANRAL’s broader efforts to promote road safety through safer infrastructure, education and awareness campaigns.
All three concessionaires responsible for the management of some toll roads play leading roles in road safety campaigns, community-based initiatives and the coordination of responses among law enforcement, emergency services and maintenance teams.
Through their close links to communities who live in proximity to the road network, the concessionaires are increasingly involved in campaigns that promote safer road behaviour, especially among vulnerable groups such as pedestrians, cyclists and long-distance truckers.
24/7 N3TC customer care
The N3 Toll Road through KwaZulu-Natal is the primary road freight corridor linking the port city of Durban with the metropolitan hubs of Gauteng.
Moreover, this route also carries high volumes of commuter traffic, especially at weekends and during holiday periods.
The N3 Toll Concession prioritises road safety through its dedicated focus on partnerships and thanks to initiatives with the road freight and haulage sectors.
A dedicated patrol service covers the route 24/7 and a customer-care line is operational to respond to emergency calls and coordinate activities between N3TC, municipal law enforcement and emergency medical and rescue services.
Contact the 24-hour N3TC Customer Careline on 0800 63 4357 (0800 N3 HELP) or follow N3TC on Twitter @N3Route.
In recent years, the company has made significant investments in upgrading road infrastructure, including improved road signage and markings and the rapid deployment of teams to clean up crash scenes and repair damaged road surfaces.
Furthermore, a comprehensive database of hotspots and hazardous locations helps to ensure more effective road management and law enforcement.
For the past decade, N3TC has provided post-crash support to victims of vehicle collisions through its Duduza initiative.
With the help of community members and businesses along the route, the concessionaire helps in transporting victims to hospital, arranging for the tow and storage of vehicles, and contacting family members.
TRAC: A coordinated operation
The safety and wellbeing of road users is a primary concern for Trans African Concessions, which operates the N4 Toll Route that links Gauteng, through Mpumalanga, to the Mozambican border and on to Maputo.
TRACAssist conducts around-the-clock route patrols and provides roadside and emergency services free of charge to road users.
This is linked to a dedicated helpdesk, which also coordinates the activities of first responders, medical services and traffic officials.
TRAC maintains close ties to local law enforcement units and regularly sponsors the purchase of emergency gear, high-visibility clothing and lighting equipment, which are vital for effective policing, especially in rural areas.
A pedestrian safety campaign is in place at several primary schools and children are taught the basic rules of the road through social media platforms and creative material that can be used in the classroom.
Over the past year, TRAC made significant investments in upgrading road infrastructure to improve the safety and comfort of all road users.
Cables were installed along the median of the road to prevent illegal U-turns at interchanges, and paved emergency crossings were constructed at priority interchanges in Tshwane and Middelburg.
The Bakwena success story
Strong partnerships between the Bakwena toll concessionary and local communities in the North West contribute to the creative integration of road safety awareness campaigns with broader community development programmes.
The positive results of this approach are becoming apparent. During the 2018/19 holiday period, there was a reduction in the number of serious crashes – and resulting fatalities – on the N1N4 toll route linking Gauteng through the North West Province to Botswana.
Road safety is a year-round priority for Bakwena, which is involved in several initiatives designed to educate children, pedestrians and motorists on road safety.
There are specific concerns about the presence of illegal cyclists on the busy freeways, especially at dawn and dusk.
The ‘Secure-A-Kid’ campaign is a partnership between Bakwena and a non-profit organisation that focuses on children in road safety.
A ‘Glow Kids Glow’ campaign involved the distribution of reflective beanies to learners who must walk to and from schools.
The company is also working closely with provincial and local authorities to increase the visibility of law enforcement along the road, which includes roadblocks where vehicles are checked for roadworthiness and overloading, and drivers are tested for alcohol abuse.