Road Safety Campaigns in Gauteng Schools
Road safety education in Gauteng schools is a critical focus for the provincial government. This focus is driven by the alarming rise in scholar transport-related accidents. In early 2025, the Gauteng Department of Community Safety’s Road Safety Promotion Unit conducted extensive awareness campaigns. These targeted learners, school staff, and transport operators across the province.
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Prioritising Children
These campaigns aim to reduce fatalities by educating young commuters on safe road-crossing techniques. They also promote compliance among scholar transport drivers regarding vehicle roadworthiness and proper documentation. Workshops for young pedestrians emphasise the dangers of playing on roads and highlight the importance of visibility. Meanwhile, community outreach highlights risks such as jaywalking, drunk driving, and speeding.
A key initiative is the Scholar Patrol programme. This programme trains learners to act as road safety ambassadors. Patrol members assist fellow students in crossing roads safely, manage pedestrian flow around schools, and promote adherence to traffic rules.
The Road Safety Unit’s multi-pronged approach also includes improving road infrastructure near schools. It enforces speed limits and increases surveillance to curb reckless driving. Assistant Director Obed Sibasa stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility. Cooperation from government, law enforcement, educators, parents, and communities is required.
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Gauteng Provincial Legislature
Complementing these efforts, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature has called for urgent implementation of school safety recommendations. This follows a focused intervention study. The recommendations include enhancing random school searches to curb weapons and substance abuse. Another measure is deploying security personnel and installing CCTV cameras to safeguard learners and educators. These measures are designed to create safer learning environments both on and off the roads.
The provincial road safety campaigns align with national initiatives such as the 2025 Easter Road Safety Campaign led by the Minister of Transport. This campaign reported a significant decrease in crashes and fatalities across South Africa, including Gauteng. These coordinated efforts demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting young road users. This is done through education, enforcement, and community engagement.
Gauteng’s road safety campaigns in schools combine practical education, infrastructure improvements, and law enforcement. These efforts address the high risks faced by scholar transport users. These initiatives are vital for ensuring that learners can travel safely. They also want learners to focus on their education without fear of road-related harm.
