The South African National Taxi Association Council (SANTACO) officials, drivers and commuters in general expressed joy after being paid a visit by United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt at the Bosman Taxi Rank in Tshwane this morning.
Todt visited Bosman Taxi Rank as part of the launch of the United Nations Global Campaign for Road Safety under the slogan #MakeSafetyStatement.
Officials hands out toad visibility belts to taxi operators, commuters, street vendors including public at large.
Amongst the guests were officials from United Office, city of Tshwane MMC for road and transport Katlego Mathebe, RAF, road traffic infringement, national training officer, leadership of road safety, different taxi associations.
Bosman Taxi Rank is one of South Africa’s international facilities with local and cross-border commuting operations on a daily basis.
The #MakeASafetyStatement of the United Nations resonates with SANTACO’s flagship programme called “Hlokomela,” which entails training and awareness endeavours by the taxi industry as a contribution to the reduction and ultimate curbing of road accidents on South Africa’s roads.
“The #MakeASafetyStatement is being launched in South Africa but is also taking place internationally in 80 other countries with local and international celebrities and influencers helping to promote the campaign,” said United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt.
He said the aim of the campaign is to encourage those using vehicles to always wear safety belts, not to drink and drive, not to text and drive and to wear helmets when driving motorcycles and bicycles.
“I implore you to promote the campaign because all of you here have relatives and friends who died on the road and we don’t want that anymore,” said Todt.
He urged drivers to make sure that all the people they are transporting are safe and this will fulfill the vision of zero deaths on the road.
Dishan Chetty from Jonson Work Wear unveiled 3 million toad visibility belts which have been manufactured by his company and would be distributed countrywide for free.
“This is part of our contribution to road safety,” he said.
According to Chetty, the neon belt strip with yellow and green colours is designed for daytime visibility while the silver strip is meant for nighttime visibility.
Deputy Director in the Department of Roads and Safety said: “We know that the status is high regarding deaths on the roads in South Africa and we therefore thank the UN special envoy for having come to our country to launch the international road safety campaign.”
Monare pledge that his department will do everything in its power to reduce accidents on the roads.
“Little by little we will get where we want to be in terms of reducing road accidents,” said SANTACO Deputy President Mr Mazwe.
“Every effort that can help us to reduce these road accidents is important and most welcome,” he said.
“All of us must work together to reduce accidents on the road,” he said.
“Commuters and drivers who use the Bosman Taxi rank must consider themselves really lucky that this international road safety campaign is being launched at a facility which they use on a daily basis,” said SANTACO first Deputy President Mr Mazwe.
Commuters were happy to realise that taxi operators care about their safety as they handed them visibility belts which makes them visible even when they are wearing dark clothes on the road in the evenings.