If it all goes well, the Western Cape could introduce new changes to the country’s driving laws to better protect farm workers that are being transported on the back of bakkies/trucks.
The provincial spokesperson for agriculture, Andricus van der Westhuizen,said he will be writing to minister of transport, Fikile Mbalula, to submit a number of considerations to improve rural, agri-worker transportation in the Western Cape.
This comes after another tragic accident that occurred on the R45 road between Klapmuts and Simondium last week which left 35 farmworkers severely injured and hospitalised.
Last year, the Standing Committee on Agriculture presented recommendations for safer and more dignified ways to transport farmworkers in the province. These recommendations include:, strengthening road traffic regulations as they pertain to rural and agri-worker transport, propose an 80km/h speed limit for open trucks transporting passengers in the province and a possible national government subsidy for rural, public transport that would enable bus services for agri-workers.
“Whilst the Western Cape Provincial government has sought to strengthen rural transport in the province, the responsibility for traffic regulations is a national competency under the National Department of Transport. The ANC National Government must, therefore, seriously consider the abovementioned proposals in an effort to improve safety protocols for farmworkers,” he said.
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