Question NW4172 to the Minister of Transport

Reply:

Yes, my department together with all relevant role-players within the road traffic management has put a step-by-step measure in place to ensure road safety during the 2023 festive season in each province which is informed by the lessons learned over the last 5 years.

The interventions are based on the biggest contributors to fatal crashes by province were Gauteng (21%), Kwa-Zulu Natal (17%), Eastern Cape (15%), Limpopo (11%), Western Cape (10%) and Mpumalanga (10%) which collectively accounted for over 80% of fatal crashes in the 2022/2023 festive period. The top three crash types are crashes with pedestrians, single-vehicle overturns and hit and run. These three contributed 65.8% to fatal crashes in the 2021/2022 festive period and 68.6% to fatal crashes in the 2022/2023 festive period.

A three-phase strategic approach for the 2023/24 plan was adopted as follows:

Pre-Festive Season

This phase will seek to capitalise on the gains of October Transport Month. Messages and operations will focus on pre-travel, roadworthiness of vehicles, encouraging renewal of licence discs, Did You Know mini campaign and website and social media platforms will be utilised with high frequency for publicity to increase awareness and garner public buy-in. this phase will also include media statement/invitation to announce official launch of festive season campaign and Activations.

Phase	Period
Pre-Festive Activities	1 – 30 October 2023 – October Transport Month 1 – 30 November 2023 – Festive Planning 01 – 15 December 2023 – Festive Implementation

 

During Festive Season campaign

During the festive season messaging will continue anchored by the theme ‘’Masiphelele’’. Encouraging responsible use of alcohol, designated driver arrangements and use of seatbelts. Media is to be acritical stakeholder for dissemination of information, the launch of the festive season will also set the tone for the period.

Phase	Period
Festive Season Activities	15 December 2023 – 15 January 2024

 

Post Festive Season

This period will include the release of road safety statistics and focus road safety messaging on compliance and back to school, back to work programmes.

Phase	Period
Post Festive	16 – 26 January 2024

Road Safety Education

Interventions will vary based on the targeted audience; the messaging will be customised to audience to be impactful. The targeted audience are as follows:

Intervention will take the following formats:

•Mass Media

Drunk driving

The recently conducted research by RTMC revealed that alcohol is suspected in 67% of road traffic crashes and in the previous financial year 11 217 Drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. In pursuit of the realisation of fatality reduction, messaging will show the impact of alcohol on road safety and proposing alternative actions to motorists. Communication, education and awareness will be complemented by law enforcement alcohol operations.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS

Intelligence Deployment

The State of Road Safety report confirms that road crashes normally occur within certain period of time and identified hotspot areas. The deployment of Traffic Law Enforcement resources is informed by the traffic data that is relevant, timeous and accurate. The analysis of road traffic data was used for planning purposes to come out with a uniform approach by all Provinces, Municipalities, SAPS and other relevant stakeholder to address peculiar challenges that require specific intervention. It is against this background that the 2022/23 National Road Safety Festive Season Plan have 24/7 deployment.

Six-point crashes and fatalities reduction strategy

The six-point crashes and fatalities reduction strategy is focused on safer road users and safer vehicles pillars of road safety.

International Border Posts

The following are the Ports of entry as identified by CBRTA which usually attract high volumes of traffic over this period of the year:

• Limpopo – (Beitbridge and Groblersbrug)
• Mpumalanga – (Lebombo and Oshoek)
• Kwa- Zulu Natal – (Golela)
• Northern Cape – (Vioolsdrift).
• North West – (Skilpadhek; Ramatlabama and Kopfontein);
• Free State – (Ficksburg)

REDUCTION TARGET PER AUTHORITY

The target is based on the 2021/2022 festive fatalities as a baseline:

Province	2021 baseline	9% Reduction	2022 Actual	2022	2022 Actual	2023 target	2023 target	-25%
		2022 target	% Achieved	Reduction	Total	Reduction	%	2024 target
KwaZulu Natal	300	-27	-0.7%	-20	281	-56	-19,8%	225
Gauteng	291	-26	+15,5%	45	336	-118	-35,1%	218
Eastern Cape	231	-21	-0.8%	-18	213	-40	-18,6%	173
Limpopo	231	-21	+16,5%	38	269	-96	-35,6%	173
Western Cape	225	-20	+55,6%	125	350	-181	-51,8%	169
Mpumalanga	194	-17	+24,3%	47	241	-96	-39,7%	146
North West	142	-13	+25,3%	36	178	-71	-40,1%	107
Free State	129	-12	+7,2%	9	138	-42	-30,0%	97
Northern Cape	65	-6	+97,0%	63	128	-79	-61,9%	49

EVALUATION AND MID OPERATION REVIEW

There will be an evaluation and Mid- festive season review session which will recommend adjustments if any and they will be communicated immediately to the provinces.