Travel light or pay extra: SANTACO

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The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) has urged commuters to travel with minimal luggage during this festive season.

According to the council, this is to avoid overloading, which poses a significant threat to the safety of passengers.

Due to the risks associated with overloading, we may be forced to consider charging for excess luggage to ensure that our vehicles operate within safe capacity limits, said Rebecca Phala, Santaco national spokesperson.

She stated that they want to avoid this measure, but the safety of the passengers is their top priority.

“Overloading not only compromises the safety of passengers but also causes discomfort and inconvenience. We urge commuters to cooperate with us by traveling light and avoiding overloading.

“We are committed to providing safe and reliable transportation services to our commuters.

“We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that our vehicles operate safely and responsibly,” she expressed.

Phala appealed to all commuters to prioritize their safety and the safety of others by reporting any instances of overloading or other safety concerns to the authorities.

She added; “Let us work together to ensure a safe and enjoyable festive season for all.”

Meanwhile, with traffic volumes expected to increase ahead of the Christmas and New Year long weekends, government has called on all road users, drivers and pedestrians to take the necessary action to keep safe and ensure a reduction in the number of crashes on the roads.

Measures in place for those who travel

“Government alone cannot change this reality. We can only save lives if road users change their behaviour, because it is the behaviour of people that led to most of the 11 883 deaths on our roads last year,” Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said during the launch of the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign, earlier this month. 

Even though the number of road fatalities decreased by 4,4% from 2022 to 2023, the Minister said one death is one too many. 

“We are working alongside the Road Traffic Management Corporation, as well as provincial and municipal departments responsible for transport and road safety, amongst others, to ensure that government does its utmost to make this a safer festive season.

“All traffic officers, police officers and law enforcement authorities must enforce the law without fear or favour. Road users must know that they will face the consequences for breaking the law.

“If fathers, mothers and innocent children are going to die or be injured because of the actions of irresponsible individuals, then those individuals must face the consequences,” the Minister said.

Creecy said the best research available tells us that most crashes occur during weekends, late at night and in the early hours of the morning.

She also highlighted that law enforcement will focus on ensuring that drivers stick to the speed limits. Traffic officers will also inspect vehicles and lock up those caught in the act of drunk driving. 

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“Law enforcement will also be focused on border posts that experience a large increase in traffic during this time of year.

“Alongside our patrolling interventions, we have also undertaken a campaign of focusing on targeted messaging on radio and social media during this period.

“We can only lower the number of deaths during this festive season and make our roads safer through targeted interventions, which include all sectors of our society and employ all the tools available to us,” Creecy concluded.