The Limpopo Road Safety Programme (LRSP), a three-year initiative funded by the Anglo American Foundation, is making significant strides in protecting young lives. Many South African learners, particularly in rural and township areas, face serious risks on their daily journeys to and from school, with road crashes being a major concern. In response, in-school structured road safety education programmes, such as VIA – a key component of the LRSP – directly address these dangers by equipping learners and educators with life-saving road safety knowledge and skills. 

 

Aligned with the Safe System Approach (SSA), the first phase of the VIA School Road Safety Education Programme, in 2024, sparked meaningful change, improving pedestrian behaviour and raising awareness among young road users. Building on this momentum, the second phase of the programme aims to reach 22 schools in Limpopo while strengthening partnerships with government and non-governmental organizations to enhance road safety awareness in schools and communities of the Musina and Blouberg areas.

 

As part of the official kick-off of Phase Two, a stakeholder meeting was held at Alldays Primary School on March 26, 2025. Representatives from Limpopo Provincial Departments, non-governmental organizations, and community partners reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening road safety education. Attendees included:

 

• • Road Safety Partnership South Africa (RSPSA)

• • Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP)

• • The LRSP Team (Impact Catalyst)

• • Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety (LDTCS)

• • South African Red Cross Society (SARCS)

• • SARCS Volunteers/In-School Facilitators

• • Limpopo Department of Education (LDoE)

• • Limpopo Department of Health (LDoH)

 

The discussions underscored the need for collaborative efforts to reach more schools and improve road safety outcomes. Recent crashes involving learners on Limpopo’s roads have reinforced the urgency of extending evidence-based, in-school road safety education programmes.

 

“Many primary schools lack structured road safety education, leaving young learners at risk. Our role as RSPSA within the LRSP is to fill that gap and provide internationally-recognised, evidence-based, life-saving training to our South African schools.” said Mr. Lucky Molaudzi, General Manager of the Road Safety Partnership South Africa.

 

To ensure long-term impact, there is a strong push for integrating road safety education into school’s curriculum—specifically in the Life Skills area, which plays a crucial role in holistic learner development, making it an ideal platform for road safety education. By embedding road safety education into the formal curriculum, educators will receive specialised training and resources to effectively implement road safety lessons in any learning environment.

 

The School Visits and Phase Two Stakeholders Kick-Off Meeting marked an important milestone in advancing road safety in Limpopo. With ongoing collaboration and commitment from all partners, the programme is positioned to reach even more learners, fostering lasting behavioural change and reducing road-related trauma among children. As the driving force behind local implementation, the Road Safety Partnership South Africa will continue working with schools and communities in Limpopo to further embed road safety skills and principles in educational programmes.

 

The Impact Catalyst Anglo American Foundation South African Red Cross Society (SARCS)