January 2023 | BUSINESS FLEET AFRICA
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Boksburg tanker explosion, there have
been four other tanker-related crashes
in the country. And this will continue,
as unscrupulous operators, hire drivers
with dodgy credentials, providing no
advanced, defensive driver training,
overloading their vehicles, cutting on key
maintenance and asking their drivers to
drive longer hours without reasonable
breaks. This is a recipe for disaster, and
we regularly witness the frightening
results on social media.
The failure of Prasa, the SOE that
manages Transnet and Metrorail has
resulted in an ever-increasing volume
of heavy vehicles on the major arterial
corridors. The destruction of the rail in-
frastructure and the plundering of what
used to be efficient railway stations is
enough to reduce one to tears.
A variety of factors has resulted in a
traffic law enforcement fraternity that
is conspicuous by its absence. When
traffic police are visible, it is most often
when they are conducting speed-timing
operations. If you should be pulled
over for a roadside check, at most, it
will be checking the validity of your
driving license and the vehicle license
disc. There is absolutely no evidence of
smart policing.
This in a country where there are
high levels of alcohol-related deaths.
In fact, according to Medical Research
Council’s Non-Natural Injury Mortality
Rate, 65% of weekend death rates are as
a result of abuse of alcohol, either by a
driver, and/or pedestrians.
Daily we witness motorists of all
vehicle classes committing all manner of
road infractions with impunity, talking
and even texting on their mobiles
while driving, operating un-roadworthy
vehicles, jumping red lights, overtaking
dangerously, tailgating and various
other moving violations simply because
there are no consequences. Crumbling
infrastructure, secondary roads dotted
with killer potholes and the general
state of decay further contributes to
motorist’s frustrations, leading to road
rage and unsafe driving. It seems that we
are all just one mile away from total road
anarchy.
This situation not only relates to road
transport, but has unfortunately also
spilled over to rail, aviation and mari-
time. The lack of competition following
the downing of major brands like Mango,
Kulula, Comair and SAA have led to the
high cost of air travel, both domestically
and internationally forcing more people
to travel by road.
So, how did we get here?
Having worked for two decades at
provincial and national departments
of transport and being a former,
founding member of the Road Traffic
Management Corporation, I can say
without a doubt that the following are
some of the key challenges:
Q Lack of continuity with new Minister
appointees bringing their own admin-
istrative agenda sometimes to the
detriment of successful programs.
Q The Road Traffic Management
Corporation (RTMC) needs to be the
lead agency for road safety in the
country, with a better communica-
tions strategy.
Q The strategic objectives and key
performance indicators of the RTMC
should be aligned to measuring and
reducing road deaths.
Q The National Traffic Police of the
RTMC has created an additional
tier of traffic law enforcement and
it is not uncommon to find three
different agencies working along one
major route. There should be more
cohesion in traffic management
structures with proper goal setting
and strategies for each.
Q A proper accredited and certified
driving school and driving instructor
training programme should be
developed, which ideally should be
preceded by overhauling the entire
K53 regime.
Q Road safety education in conjunction
with the National Department of
Education has not been realised and
a wonderful opportunity to inculcate
safety habits from a young age is
missing.
Q Road traffic offences are still seen as
a minor or petty offence and various
agents across the criminal justice
system are not giving it the necessary
gravitas to serve as an effective
deterrent.
Q For too many of the local traffic
authorities road traffic offences are
a means of revenue generation and
until this mindset changes, we will
continue to lose lives.
Q The entire road traffic strategy needs
to be overhauled and an effective
tri-partite coalition established
between government, the private
sector and civil society.
While the wish-list is far from complete,
tackling some of these issues listed
above would be a step in the right direc-
tion. With a cabinet reshuffle looming,
let’s hope that the new incumbent will
provide the vision, aims and objectives
that the long-suffering populace
country is long asking for and is truly
deserving of. BFA
Ashref Ismail is a multiple
award-winning road safety
practitioner with more 35 years’
experience at provincial, nation-
al and international levels. He
holds qualifications in Traffic and
Municipal Policing, Teaching,
Public Relations and Professional
Driving. He currently runs his
own fleet risk management
consultancy, specializing in
advanced, hazard management
training and driver wellness.
The failure of Prasa, the SOE that manages Transnet
and Metrorail has resulted in an ever-increasing
volume of heavy vehicles on the major arterial
corridors. The destruction of the rail infrastructure
and the plundering of what used to be efficient
railway stations is enough to reduce one to tears.