The people of South Africa, like elsewhere in the world, depend heavily on a good transport system, and good laws to govern that system.
The best law, however, means nothing if it is not correctly implemented and enforced.
Laws are not static by nature, but must be amended as circumstances dictate, especially in contexts of rapid development and progress.
There is, consequently, an attempt to amend the National Road Traffic Act to, among other things, improve traffic in general, improve the regulation of driving schools, and to put a stop to corruption and bribery.
Among other things, proposals were submitted for implementing a zero-percent blood-alcohol limit for drivers to make roads safer.
The negative impact of this is that it will further weaken South Africa's economy seeing as restaurants and other hangouts will simply be avoided.
Enforcing a zero blood-alcohol limit is not the solution. Instead, people must be educated to consume alcohol responsibly.
Another proposal was to erect more weigh bridges to prevent overloaded heavy vehicles from further damaging South Africa's already crumbling road network.
The proposal for more weigh bridges sounds good, but two years ago, a weigh bridge was constructed near Potchefstroom, and it is not being used. A white elephant.
Likewise, solutions must be found for the problems faced by Driving Licence Testing Centres (DLTC). At present, it is the duty of the provincial governments and local authorities, responsible for transport, to register these centres before they may operate.
Obtaining a driver's licence or renewing an existing licence in South Africa is worse than having a tooth pulled – more proof that laws that are not correctly implemented basically mean nothing.
Taxpayers want to see positive results, but that will not happen under ANC rule.
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