Abstract
The study focusses on the complexity and particular nature of citizen participation in government road safety programmes and the development of building blocks for effective citizen participation to enhance safer road user practices. The study offers an evaluation of the successes of international and national programmes and strategies in road safety by considering the levels of citizen participation relevant to safer road use. It investigates the applicable situational factors that have an impact on public sector organisations that are responsible for road safety globally and nationally. The aim is to develop a conceptual model for citizen participation in safer road use as a mechanism to underpin a strategy for safer road use in South Africa.
The study was exploratory and descriptive in nature, and, as a result, adopted a triangulated qualitative research approach. The unobtrusive research methods entailed a conceptual and documentary analysis. The triangulation of data-collection methods included primary sources (interviews and focus group workshops) and secondary sources (literature and official and unofficial documentary sources). The study provided an integrated focus on the context of road safety challenges and incorporated selected international best practice inputs, activities, milestones, targets, assumptions, and outcomes to ensure compliance to the spirit and requirements of citizen participation in safer road use.
The study found that, despite the National Road Safety Strategy, there is no adequate official operational road safety strategy in place that effectively incorporates citizen participation (especially the vulnerable) in safer road use practices in South Africa. This situation can be attributed inter alia to a lack of institutional strategic objectives, complicated cooperative governance processes, insufficient funds, as well as a lack of a proper implementation strategy for road safety in South Africa. The study proposed a conceptual framework incorporating certain building blocks for citizen participation and global and national strategic objectives and targets to underpin the development of an effective and sustainable strategy for road safety practices in South Africa.
Keywords: citizen participation, good governance; public administration; public governance; road safety; road safety strategy; SANRAL.