BLUE LIGHT CONVOYS MUST BE BANNED

Gauteng Premier, Nomvula Mokonyane's, defence of the use of blue lights is completely unacceptable. The Premier needs to take responsibility before any more lives are lost. Gauteng Housing MEC, Humphrey Mmemezi, has now admitted to being in the blue light vehicle when it knocked over and seriously injured 18 year old Thomas Ferreira.

In terms of sections 58 and 60 of the National Road Traffic Act, vehicles being used for civil protection must, if they are going to disregard traffic signs and speed limits, firstly:  "drive the vehicle with due regard to the safety of other traffic" and secondly, they must use their blue lights and their sirens.

Witnesses report that Mmemezi's vehicle only had its blue lights flashing when it bypassed a taxi in the yellow lane and jumped a red robot, a clear contravention of the law. Mokonyane needs to explain why, initially, the public were told that MEC Mmemezi was not in the car at the time of the accident.

Mokonyane's idea of an emergency, which therefore requires the use of blue lights and sirens, is a meeting that is not scheduled. This is ridiculous and needs to be explained. Feeble excuses about a supposed emergency meeting are not good enough. Why can the Premier and MEC's not plan and schedule their appointments properly, factoring in the travel time like the rest of the us? 

If you are late for a meeting, call and explain or reschedule the meeting.  Don't endanger the lives of innocent people. The DA have successfully banned the use of blue light convoys in the Western Cape and Premier Mokonyane must do the same in Gauteng.

It is time the ANC elite understood that just because you can do something in terms of the law does not mean you should do it. The have an over-inflated sense of their own importance and need to learn humility and take responsibility.

Statement issued by Kate Lorimer MPL, DA Gauteng Safety & Security Spokesperson, November 9 2011

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