FRED NEL | Maintenance of roads can prevent accidents, grow economic activity

Every year we sing the same song about road safety in SA, particularly during holidays such as Easter. Road safety in this country is a regular top news story due to the tragedies that befall families whose loved ones are lost to fatal accidents. Unfortunately, we seem to accept road tragedies as part of life in SA and not as something that must be prevented.

What makes these road accidents worse is the failure of the government to reduce them by ensuring that transport infrastructure is conducive to safe travel. The destruction of the railway system has put significant pressure on our roads, leading to more freight traffic that competes with private and public vehicles, including buses and taxis. The rising number of vehicles raises the risk of accidents and increases the wear and tear of infrastructure. Government leaders must stop talking about improving infrastructure and road safety and make substantial changes to the country’s transport system for better safety and productive economic activity.

Millions of people will travel this Easter to visit their families outside Gauteng while others attend religious ceremonies. Members of the Zion Christian Church will make their annual pilgrimage to Zion City in Moria, Limpopo. But, unfortunately, the road to Moria is notoriously dangerous. This year will be the resumption of the pilgrimage, which was put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This Easter will likely see more traffic than last year, raising the possibility of higher road accidents. Authorities and travellers need to be on high alert to mitigate the risks on the road. This holiday should not be marred by accidents that cripple or kill loved ones.  

Many residents travelling out of Gauteng for the Easter holidays will use the Moloto Road linking Gauteng with Mpumalanga and Limpopo. The Road Traffic Management Corporation listed this road as the most dangerous in SA. In 2020, residents living along the road marched to the Union Buildings, demanding that the government improve the infrastructure, including a demand for the commencement of the promised rail project. The rail network was meant to connect Tshwane and Mpumalanga; however, disagreements led to the collapse of the planned R34bn development.

The government cannot blame disagreements for failing to build infrastructure like rail networks that would save lives and improve economic activity. Instead, lives and livelihoods are lost as a result of the state’s dilly-dallying. This must not continue as it will only exacerbate the growing anger in the country resulting from a decline in service delivery.

As a result of the laggard economy and the collapsing state, informal settlements created by desperate people are mushrooming around busy roads, including the Moloto road and the R101, putting more lives at risk. Pedestrians are especially vulnerable to road accidents, with 50% of casualties in Gauteng over the most recent festive season being pedestrians. Unfortunately, these deaths have not moved the Gauteng provincial government to act hastily in implementing preventative mechanisms to reduce road accidents and fatalities.

It is disappointing that for the third quarter of the 2022/23 financial year, the Gauteng department of roads and transport did not achieve its EPWP target where 275 youth were to be employed as part of the preventative maintenance projects of our roads. This has resulted in the money being taken away from the department during the first and the second adjustment budget for the 2022/23 financial year. Failure by this department to spend its allocated budget contributes to road carnages as our roads are not properly and regularly maintained. 

This year as residents and travellers, we must be vigilant in maintaining road safety so that everyone goes back to their loved ones without harm. The state authorities must continue to be pressured to take action in building safe roads and maintaining infrastructure to avoid tragic accidents.

The DA will continue to hold this department and the current government accountable for the amounts of accidents and deaths on our provincial roads. We have solutions in place to curb road carnages by ensuring that our roads are maintained on an ongoing basis.

The DA will also conduct an audit on the state of all our roads to ensure that they are in good condition. Road infrastructure plays a crucial role in growing our economy and ensuring that people can freely move from one place to another.

• Nel MPL, DA Gauteng shadow MEC for roads and transport