Safety in place for Reed Dance ceremony
During the inspection, MEC Kaunda urged public transport operators to co-operate with the inspectors to save lives
SAFE travel to and from the annual Reed Dance, which takes place on Saturday, is topping the preparation agenda.
MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mxolisi Kaunda and his counterpart at Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Hlengiwe Mavimbela embarked on a campaign to check the road worthiness of all vehicles assigned to ferry maidens to the event. On Tuesday at the Umdloti RTI Station, the MECs conducted an inspection of all buses and taxis that will be transporting maidens to the Nyokeni Royal Palace, in Nongoma.
During the inspection, MEC Kaunda urged public transport operators to co-operate with the inspectors to save lives.
He said approximately one thousand law enforcement officers will be deployed on all major routes leading to the venue.
‘Apart from road worthiness, our police officers will also focus on drinking and driving and speeding.
‘We are putting these measures in place, so that we have an accident free event and avoid a repeat of 2013, when we lost 12 maidens after a bus crash.
‘Four weeks ago, we also lost six young girls at uMsinga, while we were still preparing for the main event this coming Saturday,’ said Kaunda.
He convened a meeting with the heads of all law enforcement agencies in the province, to finalise plans of security for those who will be travelling to the event and the actual ceremony.
‘With this cultural event, we want to send a message to the international community that KwaZulu-Natal is the preferred destination for major events,’ said Kaunda.
MEC Mavimbela assured the people of KZN that it was ‘all systems go’.
‘We are now doing final touches to ensure that the ceremony, which attracts over 20 000 maidens becomes a success.
‘We also call upon parents and people who have been appointed to look after the maidens during the event, to work with us in ensuring the safety of our young girls,’ she said.
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