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As people prepare to celebrate the holidays, the Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security (JCPS) department issued an update on the state of readiness for the festive season.
December is typically marked by a large number of people travelling to various holiday destinations across the country. This contributes to high traffic volumes on South African roads, resulting in high vehicle accident fatalities.
“During this time of the year, the safety of all road users, including pedestrians, becomes our biggest concern,” states the JCPS.
With this in mind, road traffic officers and other law-enforcement agencies will be out in force to ensure compliance with the law while facilitating the smooth traffic flow on roads.
“We appeal to all motorists to drive safely and courteously to ensure the safety of other road users, including pedestrians on our roads. Obey all rules of the road by, amongst other things, maintaining the legal speed limit, and refraining from drinking and driving or texting while driving. Road safety is everyone’s business and together we can make our roads safer.”
Furthermore, the JCPS emphasised the importance of taking frequent breaks while driving to avoid driver fatigue. Additionally, the agency stated that it is critical to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy before taking long journeys.
Looking at children over the festive season. The JCPS emphasises that police are frequently inundated with cases of missing children during the holiday season, particularly at coastal beaches. “We urge parents not to leave children unattended near swimming pools or beaches. Avoid tragedies by being vigilant when at pools, beaches or near water and ensure that children wear the necessary safety equipment when using swimming pools or beaches.”
As the JCPS focuses on festive season safety, it underlines that this year’s holiday season falls during South Africa’s fourth wave of the pandemic.
“COVID-19 infections are growing daily following the discovery of the Omicron variant, which is considered more contagious than the previous variants. Keep yourselves and your loved ones safe this festive season by ensuring that all your family members over the age of 12 get the COVID-19 jab, which is available for free at any of the vaccination sites across the country.”
The JCPS stresses that vaccines continue to be our best line of defence against COVID-19, lowering the risk of serious illness, hospitalisation, or even death. According to statistics, the majority of people infected with the virus who are admitted to hospitals are unvaccinated.
“Ensure that you get your jab before you socialise, visit relatives or go on vacation this December. While COVID-19 vaccines still remains effective in protecting us from developing a severe illness, non-pharmaceutical protective measures remain important, such as wearing a mask that covers the mouth and nose, maintaining social distancing and regularly washing our hands with water and soap or using a 70% alcohol-based hand sanitiser. Citizens are advised to avoid large gatherings such as festivals or parties, and only gather in small groups in well ventilated areas.”
With this in mind, the JCPS reminds the public that the police and other law-enforcement agencies will be out in force during the holiday season, ensuring everyone’s safety and security.
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