Our adjudication panel also had the opportunity to review a large set of photographs of Caiphus in action, both at local radio stations and out and about in the community. The panel rated him the top nominee, amongst a whole group of worthy nominees, because of the breadth of his activities and his impact in a relatively under-served, low-income area with significant road safety risks.

We caught up with Caiphus for an interview in January 2024, to learn more about his background and motivation. He told us he was a community leader, helping people secure title deeds to their homes, before he became the chairperson of the Hammanskraal United Commuter Voice. Taking up commuter issues like bus and taxi reliability, safety and cleanliness drew him into road safety awareness-raising, particularly amongst commuters but also within broader society. He explained that a key method for this is radio broadcasts via Moretele Community Radio and Open Heaven radio station, which allow him to reach numerous people simultaneously and offer listeners the opportunity to call in with questions. He also works with local government in the form of the Tshwane Municipality as well as with the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, helping them identify and address road safety risks in the greater Hammanskraal area like lack of road signs, road markings and pedestrian crossings. In addition, he holds face-to-face discussions with many different road user groups, including bus and minibus taxi drivers, commuters, pedestrians and cyclists, and takes part in government roadside events. In his view, top contributors to road crashes in his area are fatigued drivers, drinking-and-driving and drinking-and-walking, motorists and pedestrians allowing themselves to be distracted by cellphones, road rage (especially when people become impatient towards learner drivers) and drivers forgetting to share the roads safely with all fellow users. He also noted that crashes occur at local railway crossings due to people being unaware of safety principles around trains – for instance, not realising that trains cannot stop quickly if a vehicle becomes stranded on the tracks. In addition, Caiphus mentioned his concern about vehicles being driven dangerously fast along the M21 Molefe Makinta Highway (formerly known as the Lucas Mangope Highway), despite the spread of informal settlements all along that road.

Caiphus will receive a certificate as well as a cash prize of R5,000 from the Road Ethics Project. He will also receive a goody bag which has been kindly donated by PhetoloERS, with its slogan “The answer is CHANGE”.

Thanks to PhetoloERS’ generosity we also held a goody bag lucky draw for those who submitted nominations in 2023.

Congratulations to winner Horst Heimstädt from Windhoek, Namibia, who will receive his goody bag by courier.