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City in major drive to halt carnage on the roads

19 October 2015

 

As part of Transport Month, the City of Johannesburg’s Public Safety Department is visiting a number of communities throughout the municipality’s seven regions to heighten awareness of the significance of road safety and the importance of adhering to municipal bylaws.

 

Transport Month started on October 1 and will wind up on October 31.

 

On Sunday October 18 members of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) were out in full force at the Protea Gardens shopping centre in Protea Gardens, Soweto, in Region D educating the public about the importance of road safety and compliance with bylaws as well as the dangers of substance abuse.

 

Bylaws set out what can and cannot be done in a municipality, such as where vehicles may park or stop. For instance, illegal dumping is prohibited and perpetrators face stiff fines. Street trading in the city centre is also regulated. Informal traders are not allowed to trade within five metres of an intersection as well as on pavements. Traders must also have a valid trading permit.

 

According to Lina Moganedi, JMPD’s Community Outreach Officer, South Africa has one of the world’s largest numbers of accidents on the roads, particularly those involving pedestrians.

 

“The City of Joburg is committed to building safe and secure communities. Safety and security of our people is a top priority,” Moganedi explains.

 

To fight the scourge of substance abuse, the City has developed its own drugs strategy and works closely with the South African Police Service. Moganedi says through the implementation of the City’s bylaws, Johannesburg will be a safe and clean place to live, work and play in.As the festive season approaches, the City has compiled a list of safety tips to help pedestrians stay out of danger. They include the following:

  • Don’t drink and walk on highway;

  • Don’t wear dark clothes at night;

  • Don’t cross the road without looking right and left;

  • Don’t hitchhike next to busy roads and highways as this exposes you to risks of being knocked down by speeding vehicles;

  • Don’t walk on the freeway as pedestrians are not allowed on it; and

  • Don’t cross the road anywhere, always use a pedestrian crossing.



 

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