The Road Accident Fund (RAF) is empowering youth by providing opportunities to promote and raise awareness about safe road practices. According to Chief Executive Officer for Road Accident Fund (RAF), Collins Letsoalo, a total of 173 out-of-school and unemployed youth across Limpopo, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape have been trained as part of the RAF’s Comprehensive Road Safety Programme.
These youth assist school learners by:
• Helping them crossroads safely in the mornings and afternoons,
• Spraying livestock with reflective paint to increase visibility at night,
• Cutting vegetation that obstructs sidewalks, and
• Educating learners about road safety to help save lives in their communities.
He said the fund launched the programme in August 2023, focusing on communities near roads with the highest accident fatality rates to reduce crashes and promote safer road use.
“The initiative includes school competitions, edutainment, industrial theatre productions, and youth dialogues aimed at increasing road safety awareness among school learners while empowering youth to become road safety ambassadors. Winners of the school competition received prizes tailored to each school’s needs. These included laptops for a computer lab, school painting services, learner toilets, an inverter, a printer, speakers and a microphone, and literature books,” said Letsoalo.
According to him, the youth projects commenced in July 2024, providing training, support, and stipends to the participants involved in the selected road safety initiatives.
Road users can look out for these youth in:
Limpopo: Nyavani, Thohoyandou, and Lebowakgomo
Gauteng: Soweto and Soshanguve
KwaZulu-Natal: Umlazi and KwaDukuza
Eastern Cape: Mamfeneni, Colosa, and Umtata
In these areas, school learners, the elderly, and road users with special needs receive assistance when crossing the road. Livestock such as cows, donkeys, and horses are sprayed with reflective paint to enhance nighttime visibility, and overgrown vegetation that obstructs sidewalks is trimmed to promote safer road use.
Additionally, participating youth are enrolled in an ongoing Youth Driver Development Programme, where they receive free training and support to obtain a learner’s license, a driving license, and a Professional Driving Permit (PrDP).
“We are proud to have inspired a new generation of road safety ambassadors. This programme demonstrates the power of collaboration and commitment to road safety. We are encouraged by the positive feedback from community members and parents, who believe that their children are now in safe hands.”
According to Letsoalo, the Comprehensive Road Safety Programme is implemented in partnership with the Safer South Africa Foundation. The current phase of the youth-focused programme will run until the end of July 2024, after which the RAF will assess its impact in these high-accident areas.
If you or your children are involved in a motor vehicle accident, contact the RAF Contact Centre at 087 820 1 111, available Monday to Friday, from 07:45 to 16:00. Claimants may also reach the RAF via: WhatsApp: 071 605 4707, SMS: 44930, Email: contactcentre@raf.co.za, Online: www.selfservice.raf.co.za. For in-person assistance, visit any RAF office nationwide. Office details are available on the RAF website at www.raf.co.za.
