Johannesburg – Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has revealed that new laws could be introduced to curb the increasing number of deadly accidents that involve trucks on South African roads.
Following a series of deadly truck accidents, the latest of which saw a truck ploughing into traffic and causing a nine vehicle pile-up, after the truck was unable to stop due to its brakes failing on the N3.
This accident is only one of many that have happened recently, and also seemed to have been the last straw as MPs demanded to know what the transport minister would be doing to attend to this growing issue.
EFF MP Mathapelo Siwisa, in a written question to Mbalula, asked how the minister would be addressing the increasing number of accidents involving truck drivers.
In his response, Mbalula included nine points detailing measures that he and his department would be implementing.
These included working hand in hand with the Department of Public Enterprises to move cargo from road to rail, in the hope that this would take pressure off road freight.
Other plans include:
∎ A national integrated plan identifying hazardous routes in each province has been developed. Law enforcement operations are to be held along these routes by provincial and municipal traffic departments.
∎ Mobile vehicle-testing equipment is also set to be deployed along the routes to test the roadworthiness of trucks.
∎ Block patrols are to be intensified to ensure that drivers conduct themselves appropriately and drive with due consideration for other road users.
∎ The National Traffic Police will be deployed to assist provinces in areas where there is insufficient capacity.
Section 50 of the National Traffic Act, which empowers MECs to deal with repeat offenders, will be invoked to enable MECs to initiate investigations against operators and obtain information about vehicle and driver fitness.
Regulations to strengthen the current rules relating to the operation of trucks on a public road, the construction and equipment of such a vehicle, and the conditions on which it may be operated are also being considered.
IOL