19 September 2023

A horrible accident that took place on Sunday (afternoon) of the 17th of September 2023, few kilometres outside the Venetia diamond mine in Musina, Limpopo, has left the province and the country reeling with shock and grief. The accident has claimed the lives of no less than 20 workers, whilst others sustained serious injuries. Reports indicate that the accident was a result of a head on collision between a truck and a mine bus ferrying the workers to the nearby Venetia mine.

The SACP is saddened by this tragic accident which, unfortunately, is one of numerous that involves buses, trucks and mini bus taxis, often taking lives of workers and innocent members of the society. In February this year, a similar accident occurred on the N1road in Makhado, claiming lives of scores of workers who were coming from making a living for their families, most of whom were farm workers.

These tragic accidents exacerbate an already grim situation facing our poor communities -- as bread winners perish leaving already despondent families to fend for themselves. Equally serious is the fact that these accidents have a dire impact on our economy and employment figures, whilst also increasing the burden of health care in our resource constraint hospitals. The SACP is highly concerned that the workers and the poor continue to bear the brunt of all these factors.

The SACP calls for an urgent, comprehensive and radical review of government’s and private sector approach to road safety. In this regard, we submit the following for urgent attention:

• An integrated Strategy and Plan towards road safety and crime combatting/ prevention. This overarching measure should be a product of, and an on-going responsibility of all relevant key role players, including but not limited to; government, organized labour, private sector, buses and truck owners, taxi associations, political parties, academic institutions, the religious fraternity and such other civil society formations as may be relevant.
• Quarterly or regular road safety and crime prevention summits to assess the impact of the provincial strategy, and to enhance all such measures necessary to combat corruption and maladministration related to road safety, licensing and transport regulations generally.
• Government and private sector to invest significantly in technology to help combat these crises.
• Buses and trucks to have modern fleet management systems to monitor speed, tyres and driver behavior. Government should invest in assisting the taxi industry with such monitoring interventions so that commuters can assist in early warnings in cases of negligent and reckless driving. Saving lives should be our priority !
• Law enforcement agencies should be more stringent and effective, relying more on technology to curb incidents of bribes and corruption.
• The state and private sector should invest more on road safety and crime prevention awareness.
• Similarly, we support the demand by workers for integrated human settlements and decent affordable accommodation near the work places and for provision of childcare and early childhood development facilities,

The SACP believes that these and other measures will go a long way towards minimizing the carnage on our roads, defeating crime and corruption, and promoting the interests of the workers and communities.

We call on the authorities and mine management to expedite investigations on the cause of the accident, and to render every necessary support to the injured and the families of the deceased.

On behalf of the entire membership of the SACP; we join the NUM, COSATU and the Alliance as a whole in conveying our deepest condolences to all the affected families and wish speedy recovery to the injured.

South African Communist Party (SACP), Limpopo

Provincial Secretary, cde Chuene Malebana
Provincial Spokesperson and PEC member, cde Charley Nkadimeng [074 462 8633]

Socialism is the Future. Build it Now.
Defend Communities To End Crime and Violence.
Fight the Rising Cost of Living.
Land. Food. Work.

BUILD A POWERFUL SOCIALIST MOVEMENT OF THE WORKERS AND THE POOR.

Website: www.sacp.org.za
Limpopo facebook: Limpopo Province SACP