29 Nov 2018

The National Road Safety Strategy is aimed at guiding and driving road safety programmes geared towards reducing road fatalities in the country.

Addressing Artesia residents during remembrance day for road traffic accident victims on Wednesday, Kgatleng District Council chairperson, Mr Mpho Morolong said this was in line with the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety aimed at reducing road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020.

He said government, in collaboration with stakeholders, continued to implement the strategy through employment of measures such as public awareness campaigns, joint law enforcement initiatives and engagement of road users.

Mr Morolong further said the national commemoration day, observed on November 18, provided for appropriate recognition of misfortune experienced by affected families and  drew the public’s attention to the misfortune caused by road accidents.

“Gatherings like these, give us an opportunity to introspect and ponder on how road safety issues can be addressed and how accidents can be reduced,” he said.

Mr Morolong  said the day’s theme, Roads have stories, addressed road users across the five pillars of the decade of action for road safety 2011-2020.
“Indeed roads have stories as the victims witness carnage and abuse but road users do not adhere to instructions being given like warning and regulatory signs, road markings and guiding signs,” he said.
Quoting Mochudi police, he said there were eleven fatalities due to road accidents between January and November compared to six over the same period in 2017.

Mr Morolong said the common factors leading to casualties included driver negligence, loss of control, speeding, vehicle defects, tyre bursts and animals on the road among others.

The council chairperson said Batswana, both individually and collectivelly, had the responsibility to make roads safer.

Giving her testimony, road accident survivor Ms Modiane Nthite said she was involved in a crash on the Maologane/Ramotlabaki Road during which she sustained a broken leg.

She emphasised the importance of using a seatbelt at all times.

Another victim, Mr Dichaba Mokgadinyana, said he lost his arm in an accident recalling that some people helped themselves to the goods he had been carrying instead of helping him.

He said he could not come to terms with the fact that he had lost his arm but was thankful for the counselling he received.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Benjamin Lesang advised motorists to drive cautiously on the A1 Road between Artesia  and Rasesa had recorded many road accidents.

He said cattle continued to pose a lot of danger as they roamed along the road causing a lot of accidents leading to some casualties.

Kgosi Lesang asked the police to mount speed traps along the A1 Road in Artesia as motorists drove at high speeds within the village.

He also asked for a satellite police station to assist with traffic offences.
Councilor Tshepo Kwapa of Mosomane informed his audience that council had passed a motion calling for the construction of grids at all gates along A1 Road to prevent cattle from straying onto roads.
He expressed concern about pirating saying such vehicles were often involved in road accidents

Mr Kwapa asked MVA Fund to collaborate with the police to get accident reports in order to avoid delays in assisting victims of road accidents. Ends