The start of the month of December signals the start of the much-awaited festive season we have all been secretly yearning for – probably since the end of the last festive season!

While we have been waiting for the arrival of December that is characterised by long hot days, scones and drinks on tap under a tree or on the stoep in our beloved villages or dorpies, the December holidays also have a dark side.

This holiday season on South African roads is also synonymous with serious and sometimes deadly accidents that steal the joy from families and friends of those involved in fatal vehicle crashes.

While some can walk away from vehicle crashes with their lives intact – they likely do so with life altering injuries. In some instances, the accidents could have been avoided if one did not have that tempting ‘one last drink’ before getting behind the steering wheel, or more cautiously sent their vehicle in for a safety check, prior to embarking on a long-distance trip.

Such precautions can mean the difference between life and death; the difference between becoming a statistic or not being one.

Government’s Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act shows that government is equally concerned about the carnage on our roads. The act of which its implementation has been postponed to 1 July 2026, provides for the penalisation of drivers and operators of motor vehicles who are guilty of road infringements through a system of demerit points. The demerit system can result in the suspension or cancellation of driving licences.

The Act’s system involves demerit points being allocated according to the severity of infringements committed. Under the system, vehicles are not punished by the system, but the operator /juristic person is held responsible for the use of the vehicle.

The thought of having so many demerits that lead to the cancellation of one’s drivers licence and having to go through the driving licence test again, is anxiety inducing. I for one, did not get my driver’s licence the first time around, but that is a conversation for another day!

The nationwide rollout of the act which is also aimed at promoting safer roads through a uniform system of traffic law enforcement across the country, was meant to start on 1 December this year.

However, the Department of Transport has said that the deferment of the implementation date is due to time being needed to finalise the training of law enforcement officers and back-office personnel and the harmonisation of the law enforcement system used by the various municipalities to align with AARTO requirements.

And while one can say that the postponement is a bit of a drawback, it shows that government is keen on ensuring that things are done by the book.

As part of efforts to ensure safety and reduce the toll that accidents have on lives and livelihoods, in its tabled Budget Vote in July, the department said it aims to reduce road fatalities by 45% by 2029, so that the country reaches the United Nations target of halving road fatalities by 2030.

As is human nature to make mistakes, crashes are not the sole preserve of the December holiday period. Throughout the year, government not only calls for caution on the roads but also puts in place campaigns to remind road users of the importance of using roads safety.

The Easter Road Safety Report statistics show the effectiveness of such campaigns.

“Easter 2025 had the lowest number of crashes and fatalities we have seen for the last three years. Crashes were reduced from 209 in 2024 to 141 in 2025 which is a 32.5 percent overall decrease compared to 2024,” the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy said at the release of the stats in April.

The reduction was not only because of visible patrols, widespread and consistent law enforcement operations across the nine provinces; but also co-ordinated action by national, provincial and local government authorities.

The department also noted that the reduction in crashes was also due to partnerships between civil society and government.

Government is also acutely aware that transport is not only the backbone of the economy with the annual commemoration of Transport Month in October, but that is also its responsibility to ensure the provision of efficient, affordable, accessible, safe, and reliable public transport adding that improving universal accessibility and safety at taxi ranks, train, and bus stations is on its list of priorities.

The bus crash that claimed the lives of 43 people in Limpopo in October; the crash between a minibus taxi and a truck along the N3 between Van Reenen and Montrose in the Free State, as well as crashes involving children in KwaZulu-Natal remain fresh in our minds.

The elevation of road safety is not only done over the course of long weekends and the Easter period but also throughout the year with law enforcement controls like Operation Shanela regularly reporting the arrest of drunk drivers. To date, the police have already launched various safety campaigns across the country which includes multidisciplinary roadblocks by law enforcement.

And yes, while there are corrupt traffic officers who take bribes and let motorists get away with wrongdoing, not every officer is a rotten apple. When reported, such officers are brought to book.

In addition, potholes are being attended to through initiatives like the department’s Vala Zonke Pothole Patching Programme and provinces like Gauteng are also continuing to make progress in upgrading, maintaining, and rehabilitating roads to enhance their safety, accessibility, and economic connectivity while also taking unroadworthy vehicles off the roads.

As the year draws to a close, let us use the roads responsibly, not only during the upcoming festivities, but always. The ideal is not to drink and drive; or drive faster than Formula 1 drivers; or overtake carelessly. Nor is it to engage in road rage, and fall asleep at the wheel, among others.

We should not have to wait for rules such as those contained in the AARTO Act to be responsible citizens.
Our lives depend on it. Let us all be safe this festive season and not become a mere statistic.

Neo Semono is a Features Editor at SAnews.gov.za

Former Vice-President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar turned 79 last Monday, drawing widespread national attention. To his political associates, Waziri Adamawa is an undisputed democrat, celebrated for his long-standing contributions to governance, democratic deepening, and public service in Nigeria.

To his political opponents, he remains both the most feared and the most outspoken politician in the country, despite their orchestrated attempts to tarnish his image. To his detractors, he is wealthy, yet his fortune comes from private business ventures he pursued before becoming Vice President, and he has lost more money in government than he ever did in private business. Atiku built his fortune through real estate, farming, trading, and oil-servicing. According to his biography, his first foray into real estate began in 1974.

Atiku Abubakar’s unblemished record as a civil servant is well known. He served in the Nigeria Customs Service and voluntarily resigned as the most senior Deputy Director to pursue business. Even before his resignation, his impeccable service record—no queries, no sanctions—had earned him numerous commendations for meeting and exceeding revenue targets at every post he held.

During his service with the Nigerian Customs Service, when an issue arose at Murtala Muhammad Airport in Lagos, former Finance Minister Mr. Onaolapo Soleye, who oversaw the Department of Customs and Excise, stated that he acted on the facts before him and that it would be unfair to punish him for doing his job and for standing by his officers.

Waziri entered the turbulent world of politics during IBB’s transition. Atiku Abubakar contested the governorship of Gongola State (now Adamawa and Taraba States) under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991. This marked his first serious attempt at elected office as part of General Ibrahim Babangida’s political transition program. Although he won the SDP primaries, he was disqualified by the government from contesting the elections. Interestingly, Gongola State was split into Adamawa and Taraba States in August 1991, just before the elections, and Atiku Abubakar fell into the new Adamawa State. Yet he remained committed and unfiltered in his political ambition. In 1993, Atiku Abubakar contested the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential primaries. The results from the first ballot showed Moshood Abiola leading with 3,617 votes, followed by Baba Gana Kingibe with 3,255 votes, and Atiku Abubakar coming in third with 2,066 votes. He stepped aside to let Abiola secure the nomination.

Atiku opposed the military regime after the annulment of the June 12 election that ushered in the late General Sani Abacha’s rule. He co-founded the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and openly challenged military authority. He presented a seven-point proposal for a return to democracy to Abacha and played a key role in the 1994 Constitutional Conference, which demanded a military handover.

In the same year, he wrote an open letter to Abacha outlining a seven-point solution to the political crisis and advocating a transition to a democratically elected government by 1 January 1995. Atiku’s political activism during the late General Abacha administration forced him into exile after an assassination attempt.

After the demise of the late Head of State, his efforts, along with those of other politicians, formed part of the wider struggle that ultimately paved the way for the restoration of civilian rule in 1999 under General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s transition programme.

Under General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s transition programme, after Olusegun Obasanjo was released from prison and secured the PDP presidential nomination, Atiku Abubakar (the Waziri) was tapped as his running mate for the 1999 election. At that moment, he was also the PDP governor-elect of Adamawa State, waiting to be sworn in. By then, he had already earned a reputation as a rising political force.

Waziri Adamawa’s democratic credentials are defined by persistent advocacy for reforms, active participation in landmark legal battles to uphold constitutional principles, and repeated efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s political institutions and electoral processes.

His stance on defending Nigeria’s democracy led to a major fallout with President Obasanjo over the latter’s alleged attempt to amend the constitution to permit a third presidential term. Atiku’s resistance is widely regarded as a key action that prevented a potential derailment of Nigeria’s democratic trajectory. Although Atiku prevailed in that political battle—culminating in Parliament’s rejection of the third-term agenda—it marked the beginning of a coordinated effort by presidential loyalists to marginalise, undermine, and discredit him.

A series of politically motivated prosecutions were initiated to illegally remove him from office, strip him of constitutional immunity, and subject him to arrest and prosecution. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), acting under presidential directives, disqualified him from contesting the 2007 elections; the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) launched proceedings against him; and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party he helped establish, expelled him outright. These assaults illustrate the multifaceted pressures and vilification Atiku faced while defending democracy.

Atiku challenged all violations of his constitutional rights within Nigeria’s legal framework, pursuing each case to the Supreme Court—and he won every single one. Former Chief Justice of Nigeria Dahiru Musdapher commended the determination with which Atiku pursued these cases for the advancement of democracy and the rule of law.

Atiku’s courage and commitment to due process have strengthened Nigeria’s democracy in several key ways: a president cannot remove or sack his deputy under any circumstance; both are elected on a joint ticket and must serve together until the end of their constitutional term. Section 308 of the Constitution bars a president from establishing any inquiry to probe or investigate the Vice-President, and INEC cannot unilaterally disqualify a candidate; only the judiciary holds that authority.

His legal challenges not only upheld his constitutional rights but also fortified Nigeria’s democratic architecture, curbing executive impunity and establishing a deterrent that mirrors best international practice. Waziri Adamawa has been a steadfast advocate of internal party democracy, consistently opposing the imposition of candidates by party leaders and pushing for rules that enforce adherence to party statutes. He also stresses the need for democratic funding models in which ordinary members invest in and co-own the party rather than relying on political godfathers or state governors.

Atiku Abubakar was born in Jada, Adamawa State, and was named after his paternal grandfather, Atiku Abdulkadir. His grandfather, Atiku, originally came from Wurno in Sokoto State, where he met and befriended Ardo Usman, a Fulani nobleman from what is now Adamawa State. Atiku’s grandfather accompanied his friend back to Adamawa, where he raised a family. Atiku Abdulkadir married a girl from Kojoli and had their only child, Garba Atiku Abdulkadir. When it was time for Garba to marry, he chose a young woman from nearby Jada whose parents had migrated from Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State.

Atiku Abubakar’s family life is quite large, with four wives and twenty-eight children. He has explained that his decision to have a big family stems from his own experience of feeling lonely as a child, being an only child. He wanted to ensure his children wouldn’t face the same loneliness, which influenced his decision to marry multiple wives.

To celebrate his birthday, the former Vice-President formally registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), receiving his ADC membership card and a custom “Waziri 01” jersey. Atiku used his birthday visit to Adamawa State to seal the new political alliance, a trip that also included several community engagements. Speaking after collecting his ADC card, Atiku said, “Now I have picked my membership card of the ADC. The real opposition has begun. We will work in concert with other opposition leaders and Nigerians to chase the APC out of government.”

Atiku’s special day offers a moment of quiet reflection on his fruitful service to humanity and his efforts in strengthening the nation’s democracy. May Allah grant him continued strength, wisdom, prosperity, and many more healthy, fulfilling years ahead. May God continue to grant him grace as he contributes to peace and nation-building.

Dukawa writes from Kano, Nigeria. He can be reached via abbahydukawa@gmail.com

In a society that is based on the rule of law and hierarchy, there should be no room for any serving army officer to comment on what happened between Wike and Yerima.

It is disgraceful for any general to intimidate the public by saying that the action is a threat to national security. This is what is wrong with the military in Nigeria. They think they are a government in waiting or they are a parallel government. This grandiosity is absurd.

These statements should never be tolerated. This shows that the Nigerian soldiers do not know how to subordinate themselves to civilian authority in a democratic society.

The chief of army staff should be fired. It is wrong for him to comment on this issue and also it is wrong for him to relate this issue to national security.

What the chief of army staff has done is insubordination that requires him to be fired. Any comment on this issue should be from the Minister of Defence, not the chief of army staff.

The position of the chief of army staff suggests that the military in Nigeria is above the law and Mr. Wike should take orders from the service chiefs. No sir. The service chief should defer to the minister who has the jurisdiction here. The service chiefs should be debriefed on the relationship of the army and the civilian authority. Some of them are still living in the past.

The days where they release soldiers into the street to terrorize the citizens should be behind us. It is unfortunate. The Army chief of staff thinks, might is right. His statement shows that he does not see himself as a subordinate to civilian authority. It also demonstrates that he has no respect for the rule of law and due process. He should resign or be fired from the army.

By his utterance, he has demonstrated that he has no respect for the civilian authority. People like him should not be in the army. Their thinking is anachronistic to our present time. Any officer having this kind of ego should go to the Sahel.

In the days of yore, this Army chief would have released soldiers into the street to harass citizens. In a civilian regime, the army should be seen and not heard. The army in the past poured into the street when a drunken soldier was hit by a vehicle. Instead of rendering help, they started beating people and burning cars. None of those soldiers were disciplined during the military regimes.

No soldier was punished for the rape and destruction that took place at Fela’s house. For more than three days, soldiers at Jaji poured into the street, beat up and destroyed cars belonging to citizens because a drunken soldier was hit by a vehicle.

It is our responsibility as citizens and leaders to change the mindset of the Nigerian military that has been distorted by military rule. Their primary duty is to defend the Republic, with arms, from external aggression.

Their constant aggression against the Nigerian citizens must be stopped. The Nigerian military goes into villages and shoots without asking questions.

Recently they went to a village in Delta state, terrorized and killed villagers who were sleeping. At this point of writing, no soldier involved in that exercise has been disciplined.

Enough is enough. In our democracy, we should hear from the minister of defence, not the Chief of Army staff whose language is a veiled threat to our democracy.

He should be fired. What he said is disrespectful to the minister.

What every Nigerian should understand is that no matter how they feel about that altercation, Officer Yerima is not supposed to be at that site. His presence there was unofficial and illegal.

Would Officer Yerima have gone there if the place does not belong to a retired general? Do serving soldiers take orders from retired officers? Would Officer Yerima and his platoon be polite if the occupant they met was not the minister but a citizen minding his business? They would have given him the Nigeria army treatment which comprises assault and false imprisonment which is the MO of the Nigerian army.

We must stop this abuse of citizens by members of the Nigerian army. They are enlisted to serve and protect Nigerians. Due to the breakdown of military discipline during the dark days of military dictatorship, they consider themselves above the law and want to resolve legal issues with intimidation and assault. The breakdown of military discipline also coincided with citizens being mentally disarmed to use the law for protection.

What the soldiers do to citizens in Nigeria is an aberration. They call us bloody civilians. Why? If we want our democracy to survive, we must teach our people their rights. Under normal circumstances, in peacetime, enlisted men should not be seen in the cities unless they are there for special duties with clear rules of engagement.

What was the rule of engagement for Officer Yerima? What national assignment was he carrying out at that location? I sincerely believe that in spite of his reputation. Mr. Wike went to this level because he has seen how uniform officers don’t think the law applies to them. He may have also noticed that the generals in the army are not subordinating themselves to civilian authorities in the process of our democratic governance.

It is time we start thinking of a reserve army. We can start by making all youth corps members undergo compulsory military training for six months. The only reason why the army threatens our national security with a coup is because they have a monopoly of weapons.

For our democracy to grow, we must abolish this monopoly. The citizens should have the right to bear arms. Enough is enough. Respect begets Respect.

Dr. Orette Writes from Houston Texas