Excessive speeding, reckless and negligent driving are one of the major causes of road crashes in the province. The aftermath of these crashes is usually death and injury. What is sad though is that these offences are avoidable. Therefore, heftily punishing the offenders will greatly contribute towards reducing death and injury on the road.
Negligent drivers ‘actions constantly affect those that have respect for the rules of the roads. They are inflicting pain and suffering on families who lose their loved ones and heads of households due to needless road crashes. This is according to Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Gabisile Shabalala after learning that some drivers have been punished for misdemeanors on the road.
The MEC made these remarks after a report on the drivers that were stopped and arrested for excessive speeding on the road during traffic operations that were staged between Barberton and Mbombela in April this year. One of the speedsters is Ms. Buhle Ndlovu.
Ndlovu appeared at the Barberton Magistrate Court for excessive speeding on yesterday (Tuesday 04 June 2019). The court fined Ndlovu R3000 or 18 months imprisonment which is suspended for three years on condition that the accused is not convicted of the same offence. Ms Ndlovu was driving 143 km per hour on a 100 km per hour zone on R40 Road between Umjindi and Mbombela.
Another reckless driver, Wesley Ceroueira, a Mozambican national was driving 144 km per hour on a 100 km per hour zone on R40 Road between Mbombela and Umjindi. He appeared today (05 June 2019) at the same Court. The court fined him R10, 000 or 18 months imprisonment which was suspended for three years on condition that he is not convicted of the same offence. Ceroueira was travelling with children when he committed the offence on 22 April 2019.
MEC Shabalala has called on the private sector, civil society, and the broader community to collectively work with government in educating young people about the dangers of not obeying road rules particularly excessive speeding. Shabalala has condemned this behavior by most young drivers stating that it is irresponsible and mischievous. She argued that such behavior on the road should be avoided at all times and that perpetrators must receive maximum permissible sentences.
Shabalala commended the traffic officers saying they should not be discouraged by a few individuals who continue to break traffic regulations. She added that the officers must not leave any stone unturned in pursuance of mischief makers on the roads so that more lives could be saved. “We must create an environment where motorists will fear to commit offences; in this way, we will have fewer crashes on our roads caused by human error,” She said.
The MEC says road users should respect traffic rules and other road users. She says communities must also play their part by reporting bad driving to authorities so that action is taken against wrong doers.
Ends.
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