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Meeting with regional Director of Transport
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Safety Liaison and Transport

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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

Provincial Safety, Liaison and Transport

Address by the MEC for Provincial Safety, Liaison and Transport, Mr D Neer: Meeting with Regional Directors for Transport, 6 July 1999

Introduction

Regional Director
 Deputies
 Transport Management
 Traffic Officers
 Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great opportunity for me to address you today on this occasion for the first time since the alignment of the Transport Department 
into the Department of Provincial Safety, Liaison and Transport. This on its own posses a very serious challenge to all of us, in the two 
departments. We shall have to find ways and means of ensuring that we work as a collective and as a team which is committed and dedicated 
to addressing the transport needs of our people, our customers.

As a new comer in this department, I will have to rely on most of you, both those in management and junior positions, to make it a point 
that we do not go astray in achieving the goals and objectives of the department, hence, my emphasis on team work and spirit. Do not regard 
my deployment to lead the Department of Transport as a threat that should invoke fear and panic amongst yourselves, rather view it as a 
challenge that requires that we co - operate with one another, putting aside our personal differences, so that we do more work than talk.

As our President, Thabo Mbeki said during the conclusion of his victory celebration speech in Johannesburg on June 3, "we must all go back 
to work". That statement alone clearly defines the period that we have entered under the presidency of Cde. Mbeki. This statement should 
not be viewed as a mere rhetoric but should be seen as a charting of our way forward.

We shall need to pull up our socks, roll up our sleeves and get to serious business. Very soon we will all feel the pressure that comes 
with this period and we shall have to take it constructively and absorb it since this will be a pressure to accelerate delivery and 
consolidate democracy whose foundation was laid with us, by our former President, Rolihlahla Mandela, the hero of our struggle.

Challenges ahead:

Having just assumed the responsibility to lead transport, I have been able to notice a number of challenges that one has to tackle. A 
number of these are mostly related to road safety, traffic law enforcement and the equitable redistribution of resources, both human and 
material. There is no doubt that there are disparities between the former homelands and the ex - Republic of South Africa’s 
administrations, in terms of the allocation of resources to the Departments of Transport in these areas. To achieve equitable 
redistribution of these resources we need to ensure that those that have an oversupply are able to supply or sacrifice a certain percentage 
of their resources to those in dire need.

The question of enforcing traffic laws and discipline on road users is also very crucial. The rate of fatal road accidents needs to be 
brought down, particularly in the Transkei, where a bulk of these accidents claim a majority of fatalities than nowhere else in the 
province. We need to find a co-ordinated strategy to curb this. The enforcement of discipline amongst our own traffic officers as well 
should become a priority and this should form one of the elements and building blocks of our strategy to declare zero tolerance not only on 
traffic offences that are responsible for road fatalities but on lack of discipline and corruption by traffic officers.

Having been the MEC for the Department of Safety and Security who had to deal with cases of corruption and lack of discipline by policemen 
and women, this will not be a new task for me and I believe we shall have to exercise the same strategies that we have used in our 
department to purge from our midst those corrupt elements.

We shall have to focus on the continuing practice by corrupt officers, of issuing out false or fraudulent registration and licensing 
certificates, learners’ and drivers’ licences as well as acceptance of bribes by our officers in exchange for the nullification of traffic 
offences.

I believe we have the necessary resources and personnel power, in both departments, i.e. Safety and Security and Transport, to carry out 
this task. The co - ordination of activities of both the SAPS and the Traffic Law Enforcement Agency in this department, has become 
crucial, especially in crime prevention and law enforcement. Very soon we shall have to come together to devise a plan to co - ordinate 
these functions, where necessary.

As you might see, this is a very huge challenge and will need a committed and dedicated team. I have no doubt that most of you will assist 
me to successfully carry out this task.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have confidence in your loyalty to our cause to rid our department of those that have no interest in 
implementing the policies of our present government and I trust that you will pull together with me to strengthen this department. If some 
of you have become unpopular amongst their colleagues for correctly implementing these policies and showing no mercy for those that 
transgress our laws and rules, so continue with your work as you have all my support. Do not buy popularity from your colleagues by being 
lenient, lazy, irresponsible and corrupt but rather become unpopular for doing what is required of you i.e. fulfilling your duties.

Lastly, let me quote from the Premier’s inauguration speech, where he said "there is no room for careerists, loafers and lazy people". In 
deed, I want to assure you, that time really has come to an end.

I thank You

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