Mpumalanga MEC for Roads and Transport, Mr Jackson Mthembu will honour departmental officials for their commitment in reducing road fatalities during the 2008/09 festive season.

3 March 2009

The MEC for Roads and Transport Mr Jackson Mthembu will on Tuesday 3 March 2009 honour departmental officials who have played a vital role in the reduction of road accidents during the 2008/09 festive season.

The department reduced road fatalities by almost 60% during the festive season which started on 14 November 2008 up to this year on 18 January 2009. During the festive season a total of 382 road accidents occurred in Mpumalanga. The total number of road fatalities out of these accidents stood at 120 by the end of the festive season. This includes 56 drivers, 39 passengers, 23 pedestrians and two cyclists.

This number has decreased as the total number of road fatalities in 2007/08 festive season stood at 228. This means that the death toll has decreased by 108 fatalities. The Sivuth’umlilo and Cabulela Ekhaya campaigns that include amongst others, road blocks, rest stops, road shows and road safety education programmes have assisted in reducing the road fatalities on the road.

During the event tomorrow, MEC Mthembu will be awarding certificates of recognition to the departmental staff. Mthembu hopes that this event will enable the staff to continue to work hard in order to ensure that more road fatalities are reduced this year and beyond.

In order to ensure that this happens, Mthembu will further hand over 73 of the 100 traffic vehicles bought by the department. The hand over forms part of an intervention strategy that is aimed at ensuring that less lives are lost on the road whilst traffic officers visibility on the road remains high. Various transport industries will also form part of the event.

The media is therefore invited to be part of this historic event that will take place as follows:

Venue: Rugby stadium
Time: 10h00
Date: 3 March 2009

For more information, contact:

David Nkambule
Cell: 079 684 6401
Tel: 013 766 6553

Issued by: Department of Roads and Transport, Mpumalanga Provincial Government