Rustenburg- The young Kaboentle Mabe of Geelhout Park in Rustenburg received his 6-months birthday present when the Bokone Bophirima Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Gaoage Molapisi handed him a car seat during the official launch of the recent Easter Arrive Alive Campaign held in Rustenburg.

Kaboentle was identified while travelling with his parents during the Road Safety Campaign roadblock that was conducted on the Dr James Moroka road.

Handing over the car seat to the young Kaboentle, MEC Molapisi appealed to his parents to ensure that the child enjoys the seat comfort while travelling with him. He said the seat will ease the parents as it will reduce the risks and safe the child’s life if anything happens.

About three car seats which were donated by the Road Accident Fund (RAF), were handed over to children traveling with their parents.

In his address to hundreds of people at the Rustenburg taxi and bus rank MEC Molapisi said one death on the roads of the province is too many. Our people are perishing, parents are losing their children, women become widows, men become widowers, children become orphans and the country is left poorer.  Our roads are painted with blood of our beloved ones because of stubbornness, selfishness, impatient and bad attitude.  This has to come to an end and it  must end today.

Those who will be found on the wrong side of the law they would be dealt with harshly and locked behind the bars,” warned Molapisi.

He said traffic law enforcement officers would no longer hide behind trees and trap motorists but they will always be visible on the roads.

The departmental MEC signed the pledge with transport stakeholders which included the taxi associations, buses and business structures in the province. He said the stakeholder participation in support of road safety will play a critical role in saving the lives of the people on the roads and that will reduce the number of accident and incidents.

“The signing of this pledge means that you must make sure that your drivers are mentally fit and sound, your buses, taxis and trucks are roadworthy, they have breaks, tyres and lights, he urged.

The Transnet Freight Rail pledged to increase its rail way safety campaigns in an endeavour to curb the high rate of accidents at railway level crossings.

“Transnet Freight Rail has a national campaign which will be running during this Easter period, we would like to appeal to the community in eradicating these tragic and unnecessary incidents by obeying traffic laws governing rail level crossing laws at all the time,” said Transnet Executive Manager Johan Bouwer.

SANTACO provincial chairperson Mr Thomas Matsomela said the association continues to encourage its members to service their taxis, not to drive at night and treat commuters with respect.

This year’s Easter Arrive Alive was launched under the theme; “heightening of the 365 Road Safety programme”.

-TDN

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