South Africa’s trucking industry depends on toll concessionaires to not only provide safe road surfaces but also to ensure that communities living alongside our toll routes are made aware of the pedestrian dangers associated with heavy goods vehicles.
During this October’s Transport Month, Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Bakwena) joined hands with Active Education and the Limpopo Department of Basic Education to successfully deliver impactful and engaging road safety education shows to five primary schools in the Limpopo region along the Bakwena N1N4 route.
“Bakwena’s collaborative road safety campaign targets primary school students in the foundation phase (Grade R – Grade 3) to instill a culture of lasting road safety awareness,” explains Solomon Kganyago, Bakwena chief operating officer.
“The programmes are engaging and interactive, focusing on the importance of safe crossing of roads, how to use a pedestrian crossing, meanings of the colours of traffic signals as well as the importance of wearing seatbelts.”
Kganyago points out that the World Health Organisation’s 2023 Global Status report on road safety shows that the number of annual road traffic deaths has fallen slightly to 1.19 million. The report shows that efforts to improve road safety are having an impact and that significant reductions in road traffic deaths can be made if proven measures are applied.
Unacceptable youth road death toll reality
“Despite this reduction in fatalities, the price paid for mobility remains too high. Road traffic injuries remain the leading killer of children and young people aged 5-29 years. More than half of fatalities occur among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, in particular those living in low and middle-income countries,” says Kganyago.
“Reflective sashes referred to as ‘walking seatbelts’ were distributed to the foundation phase learners to ensure their visibility to other road users and reduce the risk of fatalities and injury.”
The schools that benefitted from this year’s initiative were Albert Luthuli Primary School, Mmampatile Primary School, Spa Park Primary School, Hleketani Primary School and Pienaarsrivier Primary School.
“Road Safety is a year-round priority for Bakwena. Besides our various road safety programmes running along the route, every year during October Transport Month, we focus our road safety efforts in a different area to have a wider reach, this year we chose the Limpopo region.
“Bakwena is passionate about uplifting and having a meaningful impact on those communities that reside along the Bakwena N1N4 corridor. We are committed to educating both road users and children on road safety, health, environment and heritage as well as socio-economic matters to assist and improve their lives.
Bakwena is committed to making a difference every kilometre of the way,” concludes Kganyago.