Deputy Chairperson, Cabinet approved the National Road Safety Strategy in March 2017. Subsequent to this approval an implementation plan has been developed that identify short, medium and long-term interventions to address the high number of accidents and deaths on our roads up to 2030. In line with the implementation plan, the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Amendment Act of 2019, AARTO, was signed into law serving as a precursor to the roll-out nationally and the implementation of points demerit system which will come into effect.
The National Road Traffic Amendment Bill of 2019, will be submitted to Parliament soon which amongst others seeks for the first time to regulate the operation and registration of driving schools. The driving schools are a very important stakeholder and role-player in the endeavour to reduce road crushes and carnage in our public roads and therefore key to successful implementation of the strategy. In addition the Bill seeks to amend section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act by introducing a total prohibition of the use and consumption of alcohol by all motor vehicle operators on South African public roads. It does this by deleting reference to any alcohol content in the blood or breathe specimen of motor vehicle drivers on the roads in South Africa.
Simultaneously, the introduction of 24/7 traffic law enforcement system is imminent. Much work has been done to ensure that traffic policing becomes a 24 hour activity and seven days a week. The Road Traffic Management Corporation, RTMC, has submitted a business case for a shift system to the Department of Public Service and Administration. We are nearing completion of this. To date the only processes holding up the finalisation of this matter is the approval of the provincial business cases by the executive councils of the various provinces.
Furthermore, the issue of fraud and corruption in the issuance of roadworthy certificates, drivers' licenses and general law enforcement by traffic officers is receiv9ing high priority. In an effort to address and deal with these matters the department has implemented a number of road safety interventions such as developing and implementing legislation that require certain vehicles to be governed by particular speed.
Children and passengers may not be transported at the rear of bakies for rewards. Passengers have at all times to wear seat belts while small children and babies have to be in child restraints.
The department has also initiated the development of national antifraud and corruption strategy for the road traffic environment. The department has developed a 365-day action agenda which seeks to reimage road safety and is aimed at transforming road-user behaviour through unconventional intervention. Its successful implementation is dependent on establishing a single chain of command in traffic policing through co-operative governance instruments and implemented through the RTMC as an entity mandated to co-ordinate traffic law enforcement across the country working with all the traffic law enforcement authorities at provincial and municipal level. Our 2019-20 action agenda will focus on 11 critical identified issues as key drivers of unsafe conduct on the roads, namely, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, use of mobile devices while driving, reckless and negligence driving, speeding, safety belts, pedestrians, overloading, motorcyclist, unroadworthy vehicles and unpaid fines.
The theme's approach does not imply that policing on any other aspect of traffic law enforcement will be abounded. When the spotlight is on that particular theme it merely suggests that aggressive messaging will be a focus on the theme. In breathing
life into this action agenda we have adopted the slogan Okae Molao 24/7 365 days waya waya.
The festive seasons plans that we have in place include synchronise and unannounced road blocks, deployment of corruption busting team that will put the fear of God in the hearts of those who solicit and pay bribes and visits to popular drinking spots throughout the country as part of our traffic law enforcement.
In conclusion, the department recognises that the war on road carnage requires collaboration with society and corporate partners and will therefore work closely with all sectors and other organs of state in implementing measures aimed at changing road-user behaviour in making our roads safer.