JOHANNESBURG: Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has urged motorists and road users in the province to exercise caution to reduce road accidents and fatalities during the festive season. This advisory comes in light of the annual national festive season road safety campaign themed ‘Every day without a Road Death – South Africa 2024’, which emphasizes driver behavior as a critical component in enhancing road safety.

According to South African Government News Agency, the campaign strategy is built on four pillars: responsible driving, pedestrian safety, enforcement, and education. Diale-Tlabela highlighted that the festive period leads to increased road safety risks due to higher traffic volumes as individuals travel across the province and the nation. She emphasized the importance of all public transport operators, commuters, and road users in ensuring safety and consideration on the roads.

The MEC called for mutual respect and adherence to traffic rules among drivers, passengers, cycli
sts, and pedestrians. Diale-Tlabela also condemned acts of violence in public transport, including any protests or disruptions that could negatively impact operators and commuters. Law enforcement officials will be deployed throughout Gauteng to address reckless and drunk driving, ensuring that offenders are held accountable. Diale-Tlabela reiterated that road safety is a shared responsibility, urging all to “think and drive to stay alive.”