The department of transport (DoT) recently handed over a fleet of new ambulances to the provincial government at a ceremony in Bhisho.
Picture: THEMBELA NDLUMBINI
Speaking at the event, DoT MEC Weziwe Tikana urged drivers to be careful on the roads and asked members of the community to give way in emergencies.
“You [drivers] must be careful and must not drive recklessly or under the influence.
“We also request all civilian drivers to respect the sirens and immediately give way when an emergency vehicle approaches.
“However, this doesn’t mean that our drivers can drive their ambulances at 200km/h when there is no passenger inside,” said Tikana.
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane was also in attendance and asked emergency crews to take proper care of their vehicles.
“We know very well there is a shortage of ambulances in our province but I ask department of health MEC Sindiswa Gomba to take this problem into full consideration.
“We ask that the community does not destroy what it has and ask our drivers to stop driving recklessly.”
Ginsberg resident Nozibele Nininga said the government must take reckless driving more seriously.
“Our government must not laugh at those who break the law and drive under the influence. They must suspend or expel those drivers because we need a better life and good services,” she said.
Zwelitsha resident Zolani Mingana shared similar sentiments.
“The only medicine is to deal with the culprits and ensure the law is very tight.
“When somebody does not obey the laws of the department, they must be expelled because as communities, we want a better life and services as South Africans.”
