Road Safety

Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele has once again called on road users to obey road rules.

"Law enforcement operations have been stepped up, and we call upon all road users to obey all road rules".

Over the past three weeks, at least 1,500 un-roadworthy buses and taxis have been taken off South Africa's roads, following Minister Ndebele's instruction on 31 August that every bus and taxi must be stopped and checked.

From 31 August to 25 September 2011, 194,962 public transport vehicles were stopped and checked; 783 mini-buses, 501 buses, 210 scholar transport vehicles and 253 trucks discontinued from use; 39,934 fines issued for various public transport offences; more than 825 public transport drivers arrested including 168 for drunk driving, 552 for overloading, 55 for excessive speed, 17 for reckless and/or negligent driving and 88 in connection with public transport permits.

As part of the new National Rolling Enforcement Plan (NREP) announced by Minister Ndebele on 10 September 2010, from October 2010 to August 2011, 12,984,120 vehicles and drivers were checked, 5,540,275 fines issued for various traffic offences, 18,527 drunk drivers arrested and 50,272 un-roadworthy vehicles (the majority of which are buses and taxis) discontinued from use.