The 2025 Easter long weekend marked a significant turning point for road safety in South Africa. Thanks to a multi-sectoral approach involving civil society, law enforcement, and the taxi industry, there was a notable decrease in road accidents and fatalities. 

The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has praised these efforts, emphasising the vital role of shared responsibility in safeguarding lives on the road.

This successful result is due to the shared responsibility of all parties involved, including civil society organisations, commuters, patrollers, drivers, vehicle owners, law enforcement, and government departments and entities, Santaco said.

The council recognised the leadership of the National Department of Transport and its #ItBeginsWithYou campaign. This initiative effectively promoted shared responsibility and emphasised the importance of safe and responsible road use.

Santaco believes the taxi industry’s success was due to several key factors. These factors created an environment where safety was not just encouraged but practised and lived out across the country’s road networks: 

• Strict adherence to road rules by drivers and commuters.
• A collective stand against overloading. 
• Hlokomela activations to assess the roadworthiness of vehicles.
• Intensified Hlokomela Road Safety Awareness campaigns.
• Strategic partnership with the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
• Heightened visibility and intervention by law enforcement authorities.
• A demonstrated commitment to safety through diligent and professional driving.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to our drivers and patrollers for their discipline and commitment to safe operations, and to our loyal commuters for their cooperation and continued support,” said Santaco president Motlhabane Abnar Tsebe. 

“The results of this Easter weekend show what we can achieve when every stakeholder, public and private, takes ownership of road safety. This is the spirit of Ubuntu in action on our roads.”

Santaco added that it is dedicated to collaborating with all partners to maintain this progress and ensure the safety of every journey on the country’s roads.

Meanwhile, the Automobile Association (AA) said it is encouraged by early indications of a significant shift in road user behaviour during the 2025 Easter travel period. 

“Preliminary data points to a notable reduction in both collisions and fatalities, despite traffic volumes reaching their highest levels in five years,” the AA said.

“While final figures are still pending, the AA believes there is already sufficient evidence to commend South African road users for contributing to what appears to be a reversal of a worrying trend.”

Earlier this week, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy praised traffic law enforcement and thanked civil society organisations, the private sector, faith-based organisations, taverners associations and public figures who lent their support to a multi-sectoral rule collaborative effort to raise public awareness of road safety and reduce fatalities.

“Through many voices sharing one message, we have reached all corners of our country,” Creecy said.

“The impacts of this can be seen in the improvements that we are seeing in the decrease of accidents and fatalities. 

“We hope that this effort will be sustained beyond the Easter period and have a long-lasting influence on our behaviour on the roads.”

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za

Source link