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Road safety topped the agenda when schoolchildren, volunteers and members of the Johannesburg Roads Agency took to the streets around Protea Gardens Mall in Soweto.
Learning about the rules of the road, the Grade R class from Impala Crescent Primary listen attentively
LEARNERS from Almont High School, in Protea, took to the streets on Friday to preach road safety to motorists as part of Public Transport Month.
Teaming up with representatives from the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), the learners were out and about on Old Potch and Alkane roads, which lead to Soweto's Protea Gardens Mall. The safety awareness campaign took place on Friday, 10 October.
JRA officials were easily recognisable in their colourful orange and green T-shirts. Along with the learners, they were accompanied by some volunteers from Jeppe Police Station's youth desk.
They handed out pamphlets about transport values to motorists, while the learners stood at the side of the road and held up posters about the importance of obeying the rules of the roads.
Responding to the schoolchildren, the member of the mayoral committee for transport, Rehana Moosajee, said: "The thing about education is that young people can sometimes teach the old ones. These young people do not have their licences yet but today we saw them telling adults to obey road rules."
After a hectic morning that began before sunrise, the group was bused to Impala Crescent Primary School in Lenasia. Here Pedestrian Angel, the City's transport department road safety mascot, entertained the kids and taught them the rules of the road.
"You must never ever run across the road, never play on the road, only cross where there is a zebra crossing or a robot, look before crossing the street," sang Pedestrian Angel, with children joining the singing.
From there it was back to Alkane Road at 10am, when the sun was already scorching hot, for the JRA Letsema, a voluntary clean-up campaign. Despite the heat, Moosajee, her JRA team and the volunteers swept the street and removed grass growing on the road.
Ward 10 councillor, Mapule Khumalo, does her bit for the campaign
"As one sweeps the street, one gets to appreciate the work done by our men in blue overalls. Sweeping streets is exhausting," explained Moosajee. "We so often complain about the workers not doing their duties properly but we forget that most of our employees are old men and women."
The councillor for Ward 10, Mapule Khumalo, was delighted with the effort: "I am very happy and think that what we are doing here today is great because the deep south benefits from this. It is a great initiative."
Another who appreciated the work was one of the volunteers, Sbusiso Zungu, who said, "I like what we are doing because it shows that we are not only interested in the importance of road safety but we are also keen on seeing that people's living environment is kept clean."
The day ended at the Protea South Community Hall, where transport users, Moosajee and ward councillors debated burning issues, including travel values. These values included accountability, respect, co-operation, honesty and ubuntu.
The Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit system was explored under the topic Adopting a new public transport system, and community interventions in improving road safety were examined.
Moosajee assured everyone that she had noted all the suggestions and queries and would bring them up at a meeting with the rest of the team.
The safety campaign was part of Public Transport Month, which runs nationally through October. In Johannesburg it will end on Friday, 31 October with the opening of the first Rea Vaya station, in Joubert Park.
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