Cape Town - With families beginning to prepare for their long road trips this weekend, Joe Gqabi Bus Terminus in Philippi has geared up for an influx of travellers.
Gordon Makaluza, the secretary of the Western Cape Long Distance Bus Association, said they were ready for the weekend, which would see them on their toes making sure everyone adhered to and complied with the Covid-19 regulations by wearing masks and observing physical distance.
Makaluza said the terminus was no longer having problems with long queues, and urged commuters not to drink alcohol while travelling, “because they tend to force the driver to speed up”.
He said they had communicated with their drivers to behave and to rest when they are tired.
ANC provincial spokesperson on transport, Lulama Mvimbi, appealed to drivers to exercise extra caution when driving during the period as the roads would be hectic.
Mvimbi called on commuters to co-operate with the drivers.
He said mutual co-operation between the drivers and the commuters was of importance during this period.
Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Transport chairperson, Mosebenzi Zwane, called on long-distance drivers and travellers to make use of vaccination sites next to roadblocks.
Zwane said the Department of Health yesterday announced it intended to enhance vaccination by, among other things, using pop-up vaccination sites where there were roadblocks.
Zwane said the committee supported the initiative as it could potentially play a dual role, as the drivers and their passengers would, while resting near the road, also get vaccinated.
“The committee noted all the road safety initiatives and said the increased visibility of law enforcement on the roads remained a priority,” Zwane said.
Meanwhile traffic officials have been working around the clock to maintain order on the roads, with Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchell joining some of the provincial integrated roadblocks on the N1.
Mitchell said the operation followed soon after he launched the Festive Season Safety Plan on Monday.
He said there was a huge increase in outgoing vehicular traffic since Wednesday night and a 15km traffic backup on the N1 outside Beaufort West yesterday.
“Other busy roads are the N7 and the N2.
“In planning and implementing these operations the Western Cape Traffic Law Enforcement team made provision for and took into consideration the alarming rise in Covid-19 cases during the festive season even though the movement of road users would be at its highest,” he said.
He said he was satisfied with the level of compliance by drivers and passengers.