“As a sector, we are dealing with another pandemic leaving a track of economic distress. According to the World Health organization, road accidents are the leading cause of death in the world."
Mashego said over 1,35-million people perished on the roads on annual basis in the world and 50-million suffered injuries. He said SA had just joined top ten countries that collectively accounted for 62% of the global road fatalities.
"We have a right to call these road accidents a pandemic," he said.
"Most of these victims are between the ages of 15-29 years old and we all know why. Over 60% are a result of human error. Speeding, driving under intoxicating substances, and overloading. It’s clear we are loosing the future, which is the youth.”
Mashego said painting every street with traffic officers and cars would not help until people changed their behaviour.
"People should know that driving under the influence of alcohol is wrong. People must know that overspeeding is wrong, and people must know that driving an unroadworthy vehicle is wrong,” said Mashego.
Do not bribe traffic officers, motorists warned
Mpumalanga MEC for roads and transport Gillion Mashego has warned traffic officers to refrain from taking bribes from motorists because that will lend them in jail and losing their jobs.
Mashego, who was speaking in Mbombela with journalists and traffic officers on Thursday, said South Africa had been named one of the top ten countries in the world where road accidents take many lives.
Mashego also said statistics showed that young people died on the roads as a result of unroadworthy vehicles, excessive speeding and drunk and driving.
“As we enter the festive season road users who will take chances are going to find us ready in the province. Any corruption involving our traffic officers will be met with the very might of the law.
We are warning motorists not to try bribe our officers. If our officer is found to have accepted a bribe we will arrest them, punish them and they may also lose their jobs.” said Mashego.
“As a sector, we are dealing with another pandemic leaving a track of economic distress. According to the World Health organization, road accidents are the leading cause of death in the world."
Mashego said over 1,35-million people perished on the roads on annual basis in the world and 50-million suffered injuries. He said SA had just joined top ten countries that collectively accounted for 62% of the global road fatalities.
"We have a right to call these road accidents a pandemic," he said.
"Most of these victims are between the ages of 15-29 years old and we all know why. Over 60% are a result of human error. Speeding, driving under intoxicating substances, and overloading. It’s clear we are loosing the future, which is the youth.”
Mashego said painting every street with traffic officers and cars would not help until people changed their behaviour.
"People should know that driving under the influence of alcohol is wrong. People must know that overspeeding is wrong, and people must know that driving an unroadworthy vehicle is wrong,” said Mashego.