Community Safety
With regard to the records of crashes involving vehicles transporting farm workers to work kept by the police and other relevant law enforcement authorities:
- What is the number of crashes involving vehicles transporting farm workers to and from work that occurred in (i) 2014, (ii) 2015, (iii) 2016, (iv) 2017, (v) 2018, (vi) 2019, (vii) 2020 and (viii) 2021 to date, including the (aa) areas in which they occurred, (bb) number of the deceased and (cc) number of those injured and (b) what are the (i) plans and (ii) measures that have been put in place to make the transportation of farm workers to and from work safer?
The South African Police Services informed me as follows:
19. (a) 11
(aa) (i) Nil
(ii) Paarl 1 incident
(iii) Prince Alfred Hamlet 1 incident
(iv) Nil
(v) Wolseley 1 incident
(vi) Ashton 1 incident
(vii) Calitzdorp 1 incident
Touws River 1 incident
Worcester 1 incident
Bonnievale 1 incident
Redelinghuys 1 incident
(viii) Worcester 1 incident
Klapmuts 1 incident
(bb) (i) None
(ii) Paarl 1 deceased
(iii) Prince Alfred Hamlet 6 deceased
(iv) None
(v) Wolseley 8 deceased
(vi) Ashton 1 deceased
(vii) Calitzdorp 1 deceased
Touws River 6 deceased
Worcester 2 deceased
Bonnievale 1 deceased
Redelinghuys 0 deceased
(viii) Worcester 1 deceased
Klapmuts 0 deceased
(cc) (i) None
(ii) Paarl 1 injury
(iii) Prince Alfred Hamlet 8 injured
(iv) None
(v) Wolseley 3 injured
(vi) Ashton 0 injured
(vii) Calitzdorp 8 injured
Touws River 22 injured
Worcester 7 injured
Bonnievale 25 injured
Redelinghuys 1 injured
(viii) Worcester 29 injured
Klapmuts 70 injured
The Department of Transport and Public Works informed me as follows:
19. (a) (aa) The data and information we collect and receive from our daily Forensic Pathology Services reports and which is downloaded onto our dashboard, does not contain the information they are requesting. We record the fatality, but it does not specifically specify if its farmworker.
The SAPS who records any crash and or fatalities could possibly assist with this matter.
(bb) Same as above.
(cc) Same as above.
(b) (i) In terms of the National Road Traffic Act 93/1996, the carrying load capacity for persons in these goods vehicles that transport these farmworkers on the back of such a motor vehicle is not prescribed, other than the following Regulation:
No person shall operate on a public road a goods vehicle conveying persons unless that portion of the vehicle in which such persons are being conveyed is enclosed to a height of – (a) at least 350 mm above the surface upon which such person is seated. (b) at least 900 mm above the surface on which such person is standing in a manner and with a material of sufficient strength to prevent such person from falling form such vehicle when it’s in motion.
(ii) This shortcoming in terms of conclusive legislation, which included the transportation of persons at the back of bakkies has previously been escalated via our Provincial Legislative Working Group to National has proven to be unsuccessful.
Provincial Traffic Services has initiated additional dedicated weekly operations in the Cape Winelands and Westcoast District to address the transportation of farmworkers and enforced the applicable available legislation pertaining to driver and vehicle fitness during these operations.
As part of the above intervention, our Directorate: Road Safety Management has embarked on the safety awareness campaign to educate the farmers and drivers regarding the safe loading and transportation of farmworkers.
