Blue light accident must "hit home" for KwaZulu-Natal cabinet

LAST night's accident on the N2 in KwaZulu-Natal, which claimed the lives of a seasoned journalist and a KZN VIP Protection unit officer, should finally "hit home" for provincial government authorities who, as recently as last week, rejected a recommendation by the DA, that MEC's and other political heavyweights in the province be drastically curbed from using blue lights, labelling the suggestion "mischievous".

According to a media report, the VIP driver was part of a cavalcade taking King Goodwill Zwelithini from Nongoma to a hospital in Richard's Bay.  The driver had fallen behind the group and was rushing to catch up when he collided head-on with another vehicle.  A third vehicle crashed at the scene, leaving three other people injured. 

That a motorist's life was robbed and other road-user's lives placed at risk is a grave transgression of the protocol surrounding the use of blue lights and convoys.  That the escort vehicle was not in contact with the convoy and speeding to catch up is another very serious violation. The bottom line is that no VIP convoy should ever put lives at risk and the KwaZulu-Natal government needs to act immediately to end this.

While the DA accepts that it is necessary for certain high-profile individuals to have some form of security, we question whether the use a "blue light" cavalcade was necessary in this instance and whether it was in fact the appropriate means of transport, given that the King was allegedly being rushed to hospital. 

If this was a true medical emergency - one that necessitated a high-speed blue light convoy - then why was the EMRS helicopter service not dispatched?  This would have been the quicker option and would have alleviated the need for a cavalcade along a dangerous route and during the night.

The DA is saddened by the loss of lives in last night's accident and offers its sincere condolences to the two men's families.  This accident could have been avoided if the provincial cabinet had taken heed of the public outcry over the use of blue lights and acted firmly.  The abuse of ‘blue light' cavalcades has long been on the agenda of opposition parties yet the KZN cabinet has failed to take our concerns seriously.  Tragically, further lives have now been lost.

Statement issued by Sizwe Mchunu, MPP, DA KwaZulu-Natal leader, April 17 2012

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