​By Nokwazi Molefe
On Friday, 27 October 2023, the Gauteng Provincial Government in partnership with PUTCO Bus Services conducted a Pedestrian Road Safety campaign along the N12 freeway, south of Johannesburg. 
The Departments, Roads and Transport, Health, and Community Safety were joined by various law enforcement agencies, local Community Policing Forum (CPF), and scholar transport representatives during the operation. This collaborative effort served to intensify road safety awareness in the area due to the high number of pedestrian fatalities along the N12 Freeway near the Slovo Park informal settlement and Eldorado Park township. 
PUTCO is a major provider of commuter bus services in Gauteng and neighbouring provinces.
It also aimed to promote and encourage use of the pedestrian bridge and for wearing visible or reflective clothing when travelling along the road, especially at night. Despite having a pedestrian bridge to cross over the busy highway, it is not being utilized by members of the community, leading to crashes and fatalities. 
PUTCO's media liaison manager Mr. Lindokuhle Xulu highlighted that studies have concluded that the issue of high fatalities is not due to lack of infrastructure, rather a total disregard for the use of the pedestrian bridge. He added this prompted this activation on road safety awareness whose objective included meeting communities and promoting the use of the bridge. The activation included a roadblock to warn drivers to be on the lookout for pedestrians. 
Gauteng officials joined local road safety volunteers to conduct a door-to-door operation in Slovo Park, Nana's Farm as well as Eldorado Park. This was aimed at educating and engaging communities on the dangers of walking next to the highway, not wearing visible clothing and most importantly not using the pedestrian bridge to cross the freeway, amongst other road safety issues. 
In support of this initiative, the bus company – PUTCO - issued reflector vests to the community members to continue with the campaign. 
Stressing the importance of road safety education, Mr Sibusiso Hadebe from the Gauteng Department of Community Safety indicated that the N12 is experiencing high vehicle and pedestrian fatalities. This, he said, makes it imperative for investments in road safety awareness campaigns and training interventions to reduce crashes and fatalities. 
These interventions will ensure vulnerable communities are aware and take responsibility for road safety measures in their localities, he concluded. 
With the festive season almost upon us, the onus is on each road user to strictly adhere to and obey all rules of the road; not to drink, text and drive as well as ensuring the wearing of reflective clothing when walking and crossing roads.