Peter Griffiths, AfricaNews reporter in Johannesburg, South Africa
South Africa's Transport Minister, Sibusiso Ndebele, has stated that more needed to be done to ensure safety on the world's roads. "Africa has the most dangerous roads in the world," said Ndebele.
Ndebele admitted that road deaths may claim more lives than HIV/Aids and malaria by 2020. Addressing an international audience, Ndebele added: “We are here to be part of a march which addresses road deaths in a manner which has never been seen before.”
According to the Global Status Report on Road Safety in Africa, 1.3-million people die annually on the world’s roads. The top ten countries, of which South Africa is part, account for 62% of all road deaths. The vehicle crashes alone, which mostly involved minibus taxis, light delivery vehicles and cars, cost South Africa R56-billion (¤4.5-billion) in 2008.
Earlier this year Michael de Broglio of the Johannesburg Attorneys’ Association estimated that every day there are 40 road-related fatalities and 100 serious injuries.
Ndebele added that South Africa would maintain its “zero tolerance” campaign against traffic offenders adding that reported crashes generally involved pedestrians.
AFCON: 46 hurt in Zambia victory celebrations09/02
African Peer Review Mechanism making progress08/02
Combating HIV infections among African women08/02
Legume cultivation booms in Western Kenya07/02
Malawi vendors chase out Chinese07/02
Zim: Informal sector urged to join HIV battle05/02
Elections: Wole Soyinka warns Mugabe, Wade03/02
AU elections rescheduled for June in Malawi01/02
