The Western Cape Provincial Government has proposed changes to driving laws in South Africa to better protect workers and those transported on the backs of vans. This follows another accident in the province last week that left 35 agricultural workers seriously injured and hospitalized.
Andricus van der Westhuizen, a spokesman for the DA’s Western Cape agriculture, said a number of recommendations have been made regarding the transport of workers, including:
• Strengthening road traffic regulations, specifically around rural and agri-worker transport;
• The putting into operation regulation of 80 km/h speed limit for passenger trucks in the province
• A possible national government subsidy for rural public transport would allow bus service to be provided to agricultural workers.
“Whilst the Western Cape Provincial Government has sought to strengthen rural transport in the province, the responsibility for traffic regulations is a national competency under the National Department of Transport,” van der Westhuizen said.
“The ANC National Government must, therefore, seriously consider the abovementioned proposals in an effort to improve safety protocols for farmworkers.”
The Road Traffic Management Corporation is promoting a number of interventions of its own to reduce South Africa’s Road deaths, including changing the speed limit.
In a presentation to parliament on Tuesday, February 15, the company said a program is currently underway to reduce speeds in urban areas, especially around schools and other roads. the route frequented by cyclists.
The attached presentation states that the speed limit should be reduced from 60 km/h to 50 km/h on urban roads and from 120 km/h to 110 km/h on main roads.
This is in line with the United Nations recommendation that countries around the world should consider reducing speeds by 10 km/h to reduce deaths.
The United Nations has called on policymakers to act on low-speed streets around the world, limiting speed to 30 km/h (20 mph) where people walk, live and play.
The Department of Transport and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) have considered a proposal to review speed limits in South Africa, with a particular focus on the country’s motorways.
This proposal would see the country’s road reference top speed drop by 20 km/h.
It will also reduce the speed limit on the country’s highways from 120 km/h to 100 km/h, while the top speed on main roads will be reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h. Speed in residential areas will increase from 60 km/h to 40 km/h.