Owners, not just drivers, are to blame

Transport chief talks tough as Easter death toll rises

VEHICLE owners, particularly business entities in the transport sector, must accept blame and face harsh repercussions for the perennial loss of life on the roads.

New Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi said yesterday the high number of fatalities was partly caused by unroadworthy vehicles.

Maswanganyi made the remarks in Pretoria, as he revealed the 2017 preliminary Easter road death figures which showed that more than 230 people died during the recent Easter period, an increase of 51% compared with the same period last year.

“In total, the number of fatalities increased by 79 (51%) from 156 over the same period the previous year to 235 this year. However, this year’s fatalities are still significantly lower than the 333 fatalities recorded in 2015,” Maswanganyi said at a media briefing.

“Our preliminary report shows that many people who died on our roads were victims of hit-and-run incidents, jaywalking or (were) motorists who were driving at speeds that were too high for circumstances.”

Deputy Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga and the chairman of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), Zola Majavu, said the bus strike had had an effect on the high death toll. “I believe the bus strike contributed (to death toll) because it forced people to be in motor vehicles and motor vehicles contributed to 49% of road deaths,” Chikunga said.

Majavu said the bus strike affected plans the RTMC had to decrease the road deaths this year as between the Thursday, when the strike began, and the Saturday, when it was resolved, people had to use their own vehicles. On the Thursday before the Easter weekend, bus drivers went on strike over their demands for a 12% to 15% wage increase.

Inconvenience

The strike, which ended with a 9% wage increase, inconvenienced many people who planned to travel by bus. They were forced to find alternative modes of transport, mostly either private vehicles or minibus taxis.

Majavu said the RTMC had aimed to decrease roads fatalities by 50%. “Even if we had achieved our target, we would still be disappointed because we are still counting bodies like they are apples,” Majavu said.

Maswanganyi said the report also revealed a new pattern in which crashes shifted from the identified historical hotspots into new routes and built-up areas at times that previously did not have high number of crashes.

“Very glaringly, most crashes and fatalities happened in residential areas and remote areas and, very interestingly, from 23h00, midnight, until 5 in the morning. This new phenomenon requires of us to spread our wings, jointly informed by uniform working norms and standards,” said Maswanganyi.

“Our statistics show that fatalities increased in all provinces, with the exception of Free State.”

Maswanganyi said given this escalating road death toll, drivers generally suffered the consequences of the crashes but they were often sitting ducks, employed to work in unsafe vehicles.

“The people who bear the brunt in most cases are the drivers, especially when it comes to taxis and buses. I think Aarto (the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences) will assist us, the operators or the owners will have to take responsibility. If it is about opening police cases, it should not only be the drivers.

“With the bus accident in KwaZulu-Natal, it was not only the driver’s fault. It was the operator’s fault because I’m told the bus had faulty brakes.

“Most of the buses you find on the roads are not serviced regularly as is required by law. They do not have proper brake systems, the tyres are worn out or they use retreads. It is wrong to say we are going to arrest only the drivers, they are employees.”