Just in case the Automobile Association of South Africa does not respond to my suggestion as outline below, I put this before you for consideration.
Governments come and go, but the AA lives on! That is the power of this organisation you are not capitalizing on. I think the AA should have an ADVOCACY function, take ownership of the QUEST to minimise ROAD TRAFFIC INJURY and carnage in South Africa. No one else can do this as the priorities of the Government are NOT aligned with the need for ROAD SAFETY in spite of what they claim when they say in a glibly written document saying, "The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 aims to save lives by halting the increasing trends in road traffic deaths and injuries world-wide." The AA must take OWNERSHIP of this Project. This Government will be GONE by 2020 and WE will still be here! Put on the website a, "The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020" time line. CALL A BOSBERAAD for, "devisING an engaging and multi-pronged programme involving all of society which seeks to reduce road deaths." We want to be able in 2030, in line with the National Development Plan, to look back on PROGRESS MADE and not on how PLANS were never put in place, and those in place were never acted on.
I recently heard on Radio 702 that the policing of Road Safety was under-funded and dysfunctional! I also note with dismay that the death of 34 people in Marikana caused a retired judge and illustrious Advocates to get busy in an expensive and futile Commission of Enquiry. 4 Rioters were killed in Zamdela, and again a Commission of enquiry is busy. More than 1500 People were killed on the roads between November 2012 and January 15th 2013. This is a NON-ISSUE! Well, if the Government does not call a Commission into being, the AA or Radio 702 or someone who cares must call together a TECHNICAL and EXPERT Commission to do a SCIENTIFIC study of the ROAD TRAFFIC INJURY problem and plan how to reduce trauma, pain, deaths and Economic loss. Every time a Pedestrian, Cyclist, Train Passenger, Bus Passenger, Mini-bus Passenger or Car driver THINKS of getting on the road, they go into a panic! We cannot continue to lament the loss of limb and life while we do NOTHING to prevent further losses.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
