DA calls for urgent action to address dangerous roads in KwaZulu-Natal
Durban — The DA in KwaZulu-Natal has described the province’s roads as death-traps and has called for law enforcement to step up and fulfil their duties.
The call comes after several crashes in recent days in the province.
DA KZN spokesperson on transport Riona Gokool said the party is concerned that despite promises from the KZN Department of Transport (DoT) and Office of the Premier to ensure increased law enforcement on the province’s major routes, the reality is far from it.
“KZN’s roads have become death-traps, with horrific accidents taking place on our roads on an almost daily basis,” Gokool said.
“It is critical that road traffic laws are properly enforced to ensure road safety and discourage lawlessness, particularly as we head into the busy festive season with higher traffic volumes.
“Law enforcement officials need to ensure that speeding, drunk driving, and other dangerous behaviours that contribute to accidents and fatalities are penalised appropriately. Officials must also be held accountable for their roles and responsibilities and held to a higher standard to effectively carry out their duties,” Gokool continued.
“KZN’s DoT also needs to ensure that corruption and inefficient traffic management are stamped out with a zero-tolerance stance for both. Corruption within the enforcement system must be removed as it undermines road safety and public trust.”
Gokool said the DA believes that using emergent technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) could go a long way in assisting the DoT to reduce road fatalities during busy periods.
She explained that modern transport departments worldwide are embracing AI technology to identify and adjust traffic patterns to avoid risks, divert traffic from harm’s way, and enforce speed limits and safe driving behaviour.
“KZN’s DoT must be brought into the modern age, on this front,” Gokool said.
She said the DA will continue its call for improved resources including technology and other infrastructure to support law enforcement.
“This includes better traffic monitoring technologies, more well-trained personnel, and adequate funding,” Gokool said.
“The DoT must start investing in emerging technologies in monitoring road behaviour, in order to save lives.”
Gokool appealed to KZN residents and visitors to abide by road rules to ensure safe travel.
“We also call on the DoT to step up and fulfil their duties in this regard.”
Recent crashes in KZN:
- Two people were killed and scores were injured when two trucks and a fully loaded bus crashed on the N3 near Market Road in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday night. The bus was engulfed in flames.
- Multiple people were injured when a minibus taxi and truck crashed on the N3, Pinetown-bound, near the Berea off-ramp on Thursday afternoon.
- Also on Thursday, a taxi crashed on the N3 Durban-bound before the Market off-ramp in the Durban CBD. While paramedics were attending to nine patients on the scene, a secondary collision occurred behind the scene involving seven vehicles. Five others were injured in the secondary crash.
When speaking about the KZN Road Safety Plan for the Festive Season this week, Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma said: “The launch today highlights the province’s commitments to reducing road crashes and fatalities by at least five per cent during 2024/25.”
Duma also announced that about 2 745 officers have been deployed to monitor roads and enforce traffic rules and will be supported by 808 vehicles.
“I’m proud to say that amongst these traffic officers will be 194 traffic trainees who will for the first time be deployed on our roads,” Duma said.
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