The EFF wants the RTMC and its sister entity to be beefed up with adequate budget in order to improve the implementation of the road safety strategy on our roads. How can one reduce the number of accidents when the majority of traffic officers do not work overtime? We need traffic policing to take place 365 days of the year on our roads and on a 24/7 basis - but traffic policing is still fragmented 10 years after the formation of the RTMC. There is fragmentation in traffic law enforcement because there are five different forms of traffic law enforcement - and all in different uniforms. What fragmentation!
The EFF is also concerned about the inconsistency of the Arrive Alive strategy, which says, "Do not drink and drive", while section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act indirectly allows people to drink not more than 0,05 g per 100 ml. [Laughter.] When you are drinking, how do you measure when you have reached the limit? How many drunk-driving cases have been dropped and people acquitted because of the logistics: the timing of blood samples and the availability of doctors, etc? All these factors end up affecting the entire budget. We are saying the National Road Traffic Act must be amended to simply say that drinking alcohol and driving is an offence as per the Arrive Alive strategy.
In terms of public transport, the EFF believes that South Africa needs a pro-poor transport ... Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.] [Time expired.]