Transport Minister S'bu Ndebele wants harsher action against reckless drivers to stamp out road accidents.

Briefing parliament's transport portfolio committee on his intervention in turning around the troubled Road Traffic Management Corporation, Ndebele called for tougher sanctions against reckless drivers and those who drive under the influence of alcohol.

"We want 2012 to be the year of action against those who seek to turn our roads into killing fields," Ndebele said.

"We want drunk drivers to be isolated and have their actions disowned by their own families, for their destructive ways are deadly.

"Coupled with intensified and uncompromising law enforcement accompanied by harsher sanctions, we want to drive social conduct change programmes," he said.

Ndebele said South African drivers were considered some of the worst in the world, a perception that he is working hard to change.

According to the minister, a mindset change is needed, starting with South African drivers adopting a more polite attitude towards fellow road users.

"We are faced with a mammoth task of changing people's conduct on our roads.

"We lose multiple lives every year due to road crashes. This unnecessary loss of lives is preventable.

"If only we could change our mindsets, we would realise minimal and less fatal crashes on our roads," he said.

Transport Deputy Minister Jeremy Cronin said i t was considering introducing periodic testing of all motor vehicles in South Africa to determine if they are roadworthy.

He said random spot checks by traffic officers at roadblocks were not adequate and allowed many vehicles that are not roadworthy to pass through the cracks.

Meanwhile, the vacant post of the corporation's CEO will be advertised and filled soon. A 2010 damning audit report into the affairs of the transport entity unearthed a litany of maladministration under former CEO Ranthokgo Rakgoale.

This included substantial increases in the salaries of executive directors without following proper procedure.

Other claims included:

• Spending R4.5-million on provincial workshops when only R1.5-million had been budgeted for the purpose;

• Entering into a 10-year R658-million lease for nine office blocks, only two of which are currently being used for a staff component of 144;

• Blowing R1.3-million for the hire of private suites at Ellis Park and Loftus during the Confederations Cup; and

• The purchase by Rakgoale of an Audi A4 for personal use, using the corporation's funds, despite receiving a hefty car allowance.