KZN DoT remains mum on festive season road safety plan

14 November 2021

With just 16 days to go until the official start of the festive season on 1 December, KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Department of Transport (DoT) is yet to announce any measures aimed at curbing the shockingly high levels of carnage on our roads.

Every year in October, the DoT tables a festive season road safety plan that provides a guide on how it will work towards a reduction in the road death toll during the busy holiday season. Yet the Department has remained mum to date this year and it appears they are clueless as to what to do.

While several KZN Transport portfolio committee meetings were postponed due to the Local Government Elections, the festive season plan was also not on the agenda.

The DA is extremely concerned by this lapse by both MEC, Peggy Nkonyeni and her Department in terms of their mandate.

When the MEC was installed in March this year, she promised the portfolio committee members that she would deal with poor delivery by her Department. Yet the reality is that nothing has changed - both she and the DoT remain in the slow lane.

To add to this, despite the various levels in lockdown regulations – which saw millions restricted to their homes - KZN has also had no relief in the number of deaths on our roads.

The DA expects the MEC to act immediately and present a plan to the committee – one with a powerful focus on saving lives and encouraging more responsible drivers. What we do not need is a complete lack of interest and competence by the DoT during the busiest peak season of year.

One life lost on our roads, is one too many. The DA will be writing the Chairperson of KZN’s transport portfolio committee to address this major blunder by the DoT and to insist that a proper plan be presented without delay.

Issued by Sharon Hoosen, DA KZN Spokesperson on Transport, 14 November 2021