The role and function of the South African Road Traffic Management Corporation

Abstract

Paper presented at the 26th Annual Southern African Transport Conference 9 - 12 July 2007 "The challenges of implementing policy?", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa. ABSTRACT:The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) was established in terms of Section 3 of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) Act, 1999 and commenced with the preparation of a Business Plan and Strategy for its operationalization in April 2005. The Corporation is established at its own offices located in Centurion, Tshwane since August 2005. Officials were seconded from the Department of Transport to assist in the setting-up phase and new positions were created and officials appointed according to the personnel structure and financial model of the RTMC. The RTMC operates at arm’s length from the Department and facilitates an effective partnership between national, provincial and local spheres of government in the management of road traffic matters. The overriding aim of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) is to overcome the current fragmentation of traffic management functions across hundreds of provincial and local jurisdictions, and to bring a new professional coherence and improved morale into the entire system. The branding and logo of the RTMC reflects the spirit of the objectives in as far as it represents a road with the two lanes and centre line featuring an element of an arrow in design: creating a sense of moving forward into the future. The lines coming together hint at the value of working together and channelling energy and resources towards one goal. The choice of colours with blue and green represent the environment and growth. The rectangular borders represent proper road traffic guidance and road safety. The RTMC successfully established a culture of co-operation amongst parties involved in law enforcement and road safety promotions activities as well as traffic official training. In the main technical committees have now been set up and will continue to have intensive engagement responding to various challenges in road traffic management issues. Looking at the statistics, the ever increasing number of registered vehicles and number of drivers poses a challenge on how to improve the road traffic management and provide a better service to the public. The growth of the vehicle and driver populations on the roads should be taken into consideration when observing the increasing number of crashes on the road. Surveys done on pedestrian jay-walking indicates that pedestrian fatalities pose a major challenge for the Corporation and its partners. It is with these challenges in mind that the need for harmonization of traffic related issues in the country becomes paramount.