'Brutal, bloody night' on WC roads
2011-12-22 11:48
DEATH TOLL CLIMBS: As South Africans celebrate the festive season, the death toll on our roads continues to increase.
The MEC for Transport in the Western Cape, Robin Carlisle, described December 20, 2011 as a "brutal, bloody night" on the province's roads.
In just 24 hours, 12 people were killed in various accidents across the Western Cape.
Early on Tuesday morning near Leeu Gamka, two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision killing two people.
An hour later, between Dwyka Bridge and Prince Albert Road a minibus taxi believed to have been on the wrong side of the road was involved in a head-on collision with a vehicle. A baby in the taxi, and four people in the car were killed. The remaining 17 occupants in the taxi were seriously injured.
Later that day a taxi overturned on the R27 near Cape Town, killing three passengers.
About half an hour later a pedestrian was killed by a taxi driver on the N1 near De Doorns.
'BLOOD-LETTING WILL CONTINUE'
Carlisle said, "As the night proceeded, so the list of mostly innocent victims steadily rose."
Around midnight a pedestrian was killed by the driver of a light motor vehicle in Durbanville, Cape Town.
Carlisle said, "There is only so much the authorities can do. Individuals must begin to take responsibility for their own lives as well as the lives of other motorists and pedestrians on the roads.
"The blood-letting will continue until motorists start to slow down, buckle up, stop drinking and driving, leave their cellphones alone and watch out for pedestrians."
He added, "Public transport users must begin to value their own lives and the lives of their fellow passengers by reporting dangerous drivers and vehicles to the authorities.
"Meanwhile, pedestrians are urged not to walk anywhere on busy roads, to cross only at safe crossing points and to stay away from freeways."
