Hon Chairperson, hon Ministers, Deputy Ministers, hon members, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, traffic management is a serious concern around the world as more than 1,17 million people die in road crashes every year. Seventy percent of these deaths occur mostly in developing countries, whereby these countries lose in the region of US$1 billion every year to road accidents.
South Africa as a developing country has its own fair share in this regard. About 14 000 people are killed yearly due to road accidents. Carnage on South Africa's roads comes at a frightening cost in terms of human suffering. The Automobile Association of South Africa estimates that road accidents cost the country R158 billion in 2011. This took cognisance of damage and medical expenses as well as future payments by the Road Accident Fund. On the contrary, the Minister of Transport, hon Ben Martins, puts the annual cost to the economy due to road accidents at R306 billion.
Pedestrians account for 50% of road crash fatalities. It is estimated that if nothing drastic is done to curb this scourge, road crashes would be the second largest cause of death by 2020.
Hon Chairperson, as portfolio committee, we applaud the leadership of the Road Accident Fund. The Road Accident Fund has offices all over the country, especially in rural areas and some hospitals. This makes it easy for poor people to claim directly from this institution without any interference from any third party. [Applause.] This also saves both the client and the institution time and money.
The 2013 financial year saw a conscious improvement in customer centricity with initiatives such as the RAF's On the Road Campaign. The Road Accident Fund's employees took to the roads to bring the organisation's core service offering directly to disadvantaged communities across the country.
This involves educating customers about the RAF and assisting them to lodge claims directly with the organisation, checking the status of existing claims, making settlement offers, issuing medical undertaking certificate and settling funeral claims.
In the 2012-13 RAF On the Road campaign at Mthatha, direct claims worth more than R18,6 million were settled in a single day, with the highest claimant being a 57-year-old school teacher who was left paralysed in a taxi accident, who received R3,9 million. [Applause.] By the end of March 2013, 15 communities and more than 8 000 customers were serviced. And settlement offers to the value of R102 million were made during this outreach campaign. This is what we call service delivery. This is much needed transformation in all government institutions, bringing services closer to the people.
Hon Chairperson, while the vehicle population on the country's roads are increasing every year, drivers' attitudes remain unchanged. Available evidence suggests that the primary risk group as far as road infringements are concerned are men between the ages of 18 and 45. Some of the contributory factors include speeding and losing control of the vehicle, lack of compliance in respect of seatbelts, driving while the person is intoxicated, driver and vehicle legality, fraud and corruption.
In addition, weekends from Fridays to Sundays are identified as the most dangerous days of the week. It is against this background that the Road Traffic Management Corporation was established through an Act of Parliament to respond - lalela [listen] - to the aforementioned challenges. This was also aimed at pooling powers and resources as well as eliminating fragmentation of responsibility of all aspects of road traffic management across the various levels of government.
Uyati kuvisana buhlungu kutsi bantfu batawusukuma lapha batesicambela emanga batsi i-Road Traffic Management Corporation, RTMC, kukhona lapho iya khona. I-RTMC ayiyi ndzawo, ihleti ihleti la, akukho lapho iya khona. Kunjalo nje sifuna kwatisa sive saseNingizimu Africa kutsi i-RTMC yenta umsebenti lomuhle. Kunyenti loku leseyikuntjintjile.
Tsine-ke lesitfunywe yiNhlangano yaKhongolose kulePhalamende siyatinika sikhatsi, asifani nani lenifana nemigololo yona letala bantfwana bese iyabayekela kutsi batikhulele. Tsine-ke bantfwana sibakhulisa ngendlela lengiyo.
Ngako-ke lenkhohlakalo lokhuluma ngayo mhlonishwa Ollis , kutsi etikhungweni tekuhlola kunenkhohlakalo, angikukhumbute kutsi eKnysna khona lapha eNshonalanga Kapa kuye kwaba nebhasi leyangena esikhungweni sekuvivinya eKnysna yafeyila, kwatsi emva kwemizuzu lenge-30 yabuyela leyo bhasi yafike yaphasiswa. Ngalo lelo langa lelo lebhasi yabulala bantfwana laba-14 kanye nemshayeli wayo. Labange-44 balabo bantfwana balimala, ngako- ke lalela la. (Translation of Siswati paragraphs follows.)
[It is heartbreaking that people stand up and tell us lies, that the Road Traffic Management Corporation, RTMC, is being done away with. RTMC is not going anywhere, it is here to stay. Likewise, we would like to inform the nation of South Africa that RTMC is doing wonderful work. It has changed many things.
We, who have been delegated by the African National Congress to this Parliament, we give ourselves time, we are unlike you who are like lizards, that give birth to their young ones and abandon them to see to themselves. We bring up children in the proper way.
The corruption, therefore, that you are talking about, hon Ollis, at vehicle testing centres ... let me remind you that in Knysna, here in the Western Cape, there was a bus that was taken to the vehicle roadworthy testing centre and failed and 30 minutes later the very same bus was brought into the centre again and it passed. On the very same day that bus killed 14 children and the driver. Of those children, 44 sustained injuries. You must therefore listen.]
The RTMC's established anti-corruption unit will focus on corruption within the traffic fraternity, including the Western Cape. This unit is well placed to organise joint corruption-busting missions, with the RTMC having a seat on the development committee of Justice's crime prevention cluster. The RTMC launched the Get There No Regrets Campaign that targets all road users and creates public awareness of road safety initiatives.
The campaign is active in social media, finds expression in programmes and is tied to the duration of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 to 2020. Under the campaign communication includes the electronic medium and active campaigns targeting an array of activities and programmes.
Hon chairperson, in August 2012, the RTMC hosted the World Professional Drivers' Championships in South Africa, at Sun City in the North West province. The competition is crucial in improving the standards of professional driving and is linked to driver training. It attracted countries from across the globe and for the first time in the history of the championship five African countries competed successfully in the competition, and South Africa as a country fared very well in the standards of professional driving.
Hon Chairperson, the National Rolling Enforcement Plan, NREP, provides a platform for co-ordinated law enforcement and visible policing in the country. The target of stopping and checking a million vehicles per month has been exceeded by approximately 1,5% and therefore the target is now 1,1 million per month. I am repeating this intentionally, as the Minister has also alluded to this. The NREP has been refined and will have more focused targets to address some of the contributory factors of carnages on the road, drunk driving, to mention but one.
Hon Chairperson, a memorandum of understanding between the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the Department of Basic Education provides for a co-ordinated road safety approach in schools. In this regard, the core educational programmes of the corporation targeting learners have taken place during the year under review. This includes the national road safety debate competition, participatory educational techniques, along with the inclusion of the road safety curriculum in schools.
The driving school industry is a critical entity in the creation of new drivers. The regulations and standards of the industry remain critical for government to focus on. The corporation held a driving school summit, where more than 800 driving school instructors were present. The summit charted a way forward on the regulation of the industry and also provided a platform for recognition of a body that will represent the industry in South Africa.
Hon Chairperson, the ANC government has a firm and unwavering commitment to achieving the objective of road safety, and that extends to the Road Traffic Infringement Agency's programme for the roll-out of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act.
The RTIA recognises that the Aarto Act was implemented in a pilot phase in two Metros in Gauteng province, Tshwane and Johannesburg. This pilot was strategically implemented in recognition of the complicated nature of the Aarto Act and its involvement in the multiplicity of role-players. Thus, there is a need to strategically embark on a pilot first, in order to test the applicability of the systems and processes, identify weaknesses and loopholes with a view to implementing the necessary interventions prior to national roll-out.
Hon Chairperson, the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act needs to be implemented in incremental phases. The required processes are in place to ensure successful roll-out in the first phase, soon to be followed by the point demerit system in the 2014-15 period. A number of critical amendments to the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act are envisaged to be promulgated by the end of the current financial year, enabling new innovations to bolster the achievement of road safety targets.
The Road Traffic Infringement Agency will embark on intensive education and communication campaigns geared at empowering all road users with the requisite knowledge of the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act, and the RTIA, and their responsibilities relating to road safety. As a portfolio committee, we recommend that the agency be supported with the necessary resources to enable it to carry out its mandate.
The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency, CBRTA, galvanised its efforts in support of the Decade of Action for Road Safety campaign by participating in various road safety initiatives and joint law enforcement initiatives. The agency also enhanced capacity within the road transport inspectorate by recruitment and deployment of additional law enforcement officers. This resulted in tangible improvement in law enforcement initiatives. There was significant increase in the number of prosecutions during the year under review.
The number of prosecutions increased from 11 549 to 15 384 and may be ascribed to the recruitment and deployment of additional inspectors in major cross-border corridors. The number of inspections rose from 124 624 in 2011-12 to 142 517 in 2012-13. This signifies a 14,4% corresponding increase in the number of inspections conducted during the financial year.
Hon Chairperson, in line with the priorities of government, the agency has successfully implemented empowerment programmes focusing on the development of cross-border operators participating in cross-border road transport, which were well received.
This has also led to the successful broadening of the support given to small, medium and micro enterprises in the industry. The programmes included empowering women in transport and trade, women's entrepreneurship training workshops, driver health and wellness programmes, youth development programmes and development of starter information notes for youth aspiring to venture into the cross-border industry.
The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency has increased participation in border operations and formed partnerships with bodies like the National Border Control Operational Co-ordination Committee. In so doing the agency also participated in and influenced key decisions with regard to operations at Beitbridge Border Post through full-time participation in the monthly inter-border committee meetings with Zimbabwe.
In promoting a more customer-centric culture, the agency strives to keep abreast with customer perceptions through periodic operator surveys that are conducted.
Hon Chairperson, the CBRTA will participate in linking the Africa project to improve Africa's and South Africa's competitiveness through mobilising stakeholders to improve efficiencies along the cross-border transport corridors to enhance trade. This initiative also aims to showcase projects aimed at linking Africa to enhance social and economic development.
The agency will continue to support the UN's Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-20 and will have initiatives targeting border communities, those rural communities adjacent to the borders, in the project roll-out. There will also be collaboration and joint operations with our neighbouring countries to reduce fatalities and drive the harmonisation of law enforcement standards and procedures.
Mhlonishwa losesihlalweni, i-Cross-Border Road Transport Agency, i-CBRTA, njengesikhungo sahulumende futsi lesinebuholi lobusebenta ngalokukhulu kutimisela, sibone kufanele silikomidi kutsi sitsi ngiyo lekufanele kutsi ibukane nekucoca letimali letitawukhokhwa kulemigwaco lebotsela wayeka yaseGauteng njengoba kusikhungo sahulumende. Emva kwekushaywa kwalomtsetfo lophatselene netitfutsi lekutsiwa pheceleti yi-Transport Laws and Related Matters. (Translation of Siswati paragraph follows.)
[Hon Chairperson, the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency, CBRTA, as a government institution with a very committed leadership - after the passing of the Transport Laws and Related Matters Act - we have as a committee deemed it fit for it to be in charge of collecting the e-tolling tariffs from Gauteng toll roads.]
Hon Chairperson, South Africa is doing well at an international level when it comes to aviation safety. South Africa is amongst the world leaders in the adoption of such technology, which is ... [Interjections.]. What is happening? Sabotage. What I was trying to say is that South Africa as a country is doing well when it comes to international aviation. It is recognised worldwide for the very good job that it is doing. The South African Civil Aviation Authority is doing well when it comes to safety on commercial flights.
Hon Chairperson, South Africa has a zero accident rate and fatality rate in large commercial flights compared to the world average of 53% according to the International Civil Aviation Organization. Africa as a continent accounts for about 3,3% accidents per one million departures. South Africa continues to hold a good safety record on scheduled commercial operations, with a zero accident rate. This demonstrates the robustness of our regulatory framework and compliance with the legislation by the industry. [Applause.]
Hon Chair, the South African Civil Aviation Authority, Saca, authorised an alternative method of approval for the SAA-initiated special performance- based navigation procedures for use at the Cape Town International Airport. These procedures are the first of their type implemented in Africa. South Africa is amongst the world leaders in the adoption of such technology. The procedures allow for optimum performance, reducing fuel burn and noise and bring cost savings for certified airlines.
In an endeavour to create awareness an interest in aviation, especially among previously disadvantaged individuals, the South African Civil Aviation Authority has visited 538 schools. Sihlalo, Khongolose uyelisekela leliphakelo. [Chairperson, the ANC supports the Budget Vote.] [Time expired.] [Applause.]