Fikile Mbalula pleased with road users

DRIVERS are mostly adhering to disaster regulations, Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said during an inspection near the Huguenot Tunnel tollgate yesterday.

Mbalula, along with Transport MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela, visited Paarl, where road inspections were set up.

Mbalula asked drivers where they were going to before traffic officials checked whether vehicles’ occupants were adhering to disaster regulations and whether they had necessary travel permits.

Mbalula said the response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plea for people to adhere to regulations was largely positive.

“People have got their masks on. There is order, generally, on the road after the president’s speech.

“As we approach a difficult crossover, law and order on this side since we arrived is quite encouraging,” he said.

Madikizela said the province’s officials have also noted that people were adhering to regulations.

The provincial traffic services set up 274 roadblocks, vehicle checkpoint and speed control operations across the province between December 21 and 27, during which 22 685 vehicles were stopped and checked. During the same period, 25 people –11 of them pedestrians – were killed in 19 crashes.

“We expect a number of minibus taxis and buses coming back from provinces, especially the Eastern Cape, from this (yesterday) evening,”

Madikizela said.

“We have issued 500 fines, impounded 10 vehicles and discontinued 81. There is a massive operation in the Western Cape, and as the minister said, a number of people are complying not only with the rules of road, but with Covid-19 protocols,” he said.

There has been a steady increase of active cases of Covid-19 in the Western Cape and other provinces over the last few weeks.

The provincial traffic department has asked people planning to travel to wear a mask over their nose and mouth at all times in any public transport vehicle, whether it is a minibus, a bus, a train or an aircraft.

Use the free USSD code *134*234# to report public transport non-compliance with safety measures.

PHANDO JIKELO African News Agency (ANA) MINISTER of Transport Fikile Mbalula and the Western Cape Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for Transport and Public Works, Bonginkosi Madikizela, conducted a road safety operations in Paarl, Western Cape. At the launch of the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign in Polokwane, the Minister announced that this year’s road safety target is 20% from the 2019 10% which was achieved. |