ANOTHER ON DUTY TRAFFIC OFFICER DIES
BY ERIC MATOME KGOMO
KRIEL – The Acting MEC Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison in Mpumalanga
Speedy Mashilo, is calling on motorists to respect all law enforcement officers on the road.
This is after the second traffic officer attached to the DCSSL in eMalahleni, was knocked down by a speeding driver on the R544 Road between eMalahleni and Kriel on Monday.
The on-duty DCSSL traffic personnel, Jeanette Mlangeni, was doing her routine law enforcement work when she noticed a Light Delivery Vehicle (LDV) driver who was allegedly overtaking dangerously.
Mlangeni was knocked down by the same vehicle when attempting to stop the speeding driver who was allegedly dangerously overtaking another vehicle and died on the scene.
Mashilo cautioned that the traffic officers are not on the road to make motorist’s lives difficult, but to save lives.
“Although the incident is under investigation, we believe, with great caution on the part of motorists, such gruesomeness could have been avoided. Motorists must respect law enforcement officers and the rules of the road at all times. This will help in reducing road crashes,” he said.
Mashilo sent condolences to the bereaved family, friends and colleagues of the deceased and went on to advise traffic law enforcement officers of errant motorists when on duty so they don’t put their own lives in danger.
The LDV driver was arrested and is expected to appear before the eMalahleni Magistrate’s Court soon.
Road fatalities involving traffic officers are now prevalent on the Mpumalanga roads recently.
last month, another traffic officer, Gijimani July Nkabinde, was fatally hit by a truck along the N4 toll road in Middleburg.
The tragedy struck when the on duty Nkabinde was directing the truck driver to the Middleburg Weighbridge situated along the road. The truck driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle and knocked down Nkabinde who died at the scene.
MEC for DCSSL, Vusi Shongwe, has called on traffic officers not to be discouraged by the incidents to perform their duties.
“Drivers must at all times, cooperate with law enforcement officers because the directives of these officials supersede all other signs on the road. We have noticed that some drivers are at times not working with our officials. There is a problem of attitude on some drivers who constantly disregard the rules. The attitude of some of these drivers must change,” said Shongwe.
He said encouraged traffic officers to continue working harder to deal with errant drivers, as part of honouring the departed officials.
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