Driver, vehicle safety blitz for KZN reed dance

BUS and taxi drivers would have their driving records thoroughly checked before being allowed to take thousands of maidens to King Goodwill Zwelithini’s reed dance ceremony, said Art and Culture MEC Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha.

Sibhidla-Saphetha issued a statement yesterday following an accident in Swaziland, in which numbers of maidens were killed. The accident happened last week as the maidens were on the back of an open truck on the way to the reed dance for King Mswati III.

Sibhidla-Saphetha said her department was working with municipalities to make sure that maidens were safely transported to Nongoma at the weekend.

The reed dance festivities get under way on Saturday and vehicles will begin travelling to the event on Friday. “We have strongly advised municipalities and stakeholders assisting with the transportation to conduct roadworthiness inspections on the vehicles before the event, as well as the verification of permits and vetting of drivers’ records. Districts that have organised their own transport have been advised to follow the same instruction,” she said.

Two years ago 10 people from Port Shepstone, including seven maidens, were killed while returning from the ceremony when their bus overturned on the R66 near Eshowe.

Transport MEC Willies Mchunu said his department had “drastic” security measures in place.

“The measures include all buses and taxis that will be transporting maidens and the deployment of more than 650 traffic officers from the Road Traffic Inspectorate and various municipalities across the province, plus more than 291 traffic vehicles. The extraordinary measures include random alcohol testing centres along the route.”

He said drivers would also be tested for alcohol before leaving eNyokeni Palace.

“We have set up hotlines where passengers and other road users can report misdemeanours by drivers.

“Communities are our eyes and ears, and they must not keep quiet.”