Deputy Speaker, this side of government would like to associate ourselves with the statement made by the hon member of the UDM, and express first and foremost our condolences for the families of the two students who were tragically killed in Alexandra. We also agree with him that many of these so-called motor accidents are not accidents at all, but incidents in which driver behaviour in particular is responsible. I don't know if the hon member is aware that Minister Ndebele was involved in a road block arrangement outside East London in which 450 cars were stopped as part of October Transport Month. Two hundred and fifty-eight of those cars had drivers who were contravening the law in one way or the other. More than half of the drivers were under the influence, hadn't fastened their seat belts, etc. That, therefore, underlines the point that the hon member of the UDM was making. It is driver conduct, overwhelmingly, that we need to address.
Where I do depart a little from him is that we must be careful of not becoming so cynical that we think we can't do anything. Some of the statistics are beginning to show that, as a result of incessant campaigns by all of us, not just by the ruling party or government, we are beginning to make a dent in the very high and unacceptable levels of incidents, road fatalities and serious injuries on our roads. It is very important to be very firm and to continue to send this strong message about the need to drive safely, carefully and responsibly on our roads.
The kind of cynicism that sometimes prevails and which was exemplified by the hon member from Cope about the New Growth Path is an example of the way in which we undermine ourselves generally and not have a sense of hope about a caring society. It is particularly cynical when it comes from the hon Dexter and his giving us a lecture about lack of leadership in government. It is very rich when it comes from a party called Cope. [Applause.]