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The DA calls upon the MEC for  Transport and Community Safety, Florence Radzilani to roll out 24-hour traffic law enforcement on congested routes prone to accidents to reduce the carnage on Limpopo’s roads.

On 3 March 2023, 24 people lost their lives in separate road accidents, including:

• 3 Lives lost on the R71 at Ga-Makanye;
• 5 Lives lost on the N1; and
• 16 lives were lost on the R579 in Sekhukhune in a horror head-on collision between two taxis.

During the past festive season, Sekhukhune District accounted for 39 out of the 179 lives lost in Limpopo.

Although the festive season death toll in 2022 decreased by more than 20%, the R579 accident invocates the need for ongoing and intensified road safety campaigns throughout the year.

Cut-throat competition between taxis, and subsidised public transport, exacerbates the challenges to reducing vehicle accidents, including a high accident rate involving taxis and sporadic violence between taxi entities.

On 27 February a taxi boss was gunned down in Lebowakgomo.

We hope that MEC Radzilani will detail plans to intensify roads safety in her budget speech, including:

• 24-Hour traffic law enforcement on congested routes;
• Regular roadblocks and checks on taxis for roadworthiness, competence and medical fitness tests for taxi drivers; and
• An apprenticeship for taxi drivers, enforced by regulation, which will ensure new drivers gain practical experience before being able to operate as a public transporter.

These measures would assist to reduce the unacceptable and tragic loss of life on our roads.

Issued by Katlego Suzan Phala MPL - DA Provincial Spokesperson on Transport and Community Safety