Joint Statement by Western Cape Minister of Transport and Community Safety

As a direct response to the recent fatal bus accident in Beaufort West, the Departments of Transport and Community Safety will launch an intensive blitz on all buses entering and leaving the Province.

The blitz, in Beaufort West, will commence on Monday 20 July. This intensive exercise is but one element of the Province's ongoing commitment to reducing the death rate on our roads.

For a period of 2 weeks, 24 hours a day, every single bus entering or leaving the Province will be subject to:

• An on the spot roadworthiness test
• Verification of operating license
• Verification of the driver's public driving license
• Assessment of the driver's recent work schedule and alertness.

Buses not complying will immediately be impounded at the Provincial facilities.

Furthermore, in partnership with the City of Cape Town, long distance buses will be inspected at the depot before departing Cape Town. All compliant buses will be issued with stickers to indicate compliance and avoiding unnecessary law enforcement duplication at Beaufort West.

After the two-week operation, the results will be analysed and if serious trends emerge, a more permanent response will be mounted.

Over the next months, we will announce further plans in the Provincial Government's efforts to halve the death rate on our roads in the next five years.

These will include both structural and operational changes such as the alignment of all functions associated with public transport, including law enforcement and compliance monitoring and the formation of Public Transport Inspectorate units for each particular geographical area in the Province.