At Easter‚ the Western Cape transport department used romance followed by a shock in its attempt to crack down on festive season road deaths. For Christmas‚ it’s turned to sorcery.
After the controversial “First Kiss” campaign‚ the Christmas TV ad is called Ubuthakathi‚ which means sorcery.
And it has even more shock value than its predecessor‚ which ended in a car crash.
In the graphic and disturbing video‚ one of a group of young men out partying in a Cape Town township ends up dead in a pool of blood after being knocked down by a car.
Said Western Cape transport MEC Donald Grant: “We are intensifying our efforts‚ not just by bringing back evidentiary breath alcohol testing and arresting drink driving suspects over the upcoming festive season‚ but also by focusing our efforts on pedestrians who are under the influence.
“Addressing the pedestrian alcohol issue squarely is essential if we are going to bring fatalities down in a meaningful way."
Grant said more than 600 pedestrians were killed in the Western Cape every year‚ representing half of all road fatalities.
"Most of these pedestrians are killed on weekend nights and are under the influence of alcohol (61% where blood alcohol content is known). Too often the driver who hits them is too‚" he said.
"Alcohol is a constant danger on our roads and is claiming the lives of hundreds of our young men in the prime of their lives‚ whether they are drinking and driving - or walking - on busy roads when they are incapacitated. Reversing this scourge has never been more urgent."
The television ad‚ to be screened on SABC 1 and on e.tv‚ is aimed at young black and coloured males.
“This is the pedestrian demographic most at risk according to road death statistics‚" said Grant.
"The advertisement is intended to make both drivers and pedestrians think about the effects of alcohol on judgment‚ and the hazards posed when alcohol and roads are mixed."
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