Dumelang Bahlabani ba Ditokelo. Dumelang Bašomi ba Limpopo.
As your MEC for Transport and Community Safety, I speak to you today wearing two hats: First, as a worker who understands the power of May Day. Second, as the custodian of your safety on our roads.
This Friday, 01 May 2026, over 15,000 of us will fill Old Peter Mokaba Stadium. COSATU workers from Waterberg, Sekhukhune, Mopani, Vhembe, and Capricorn will travel on N1, R101, R37, R71, R81, R524, R578, and R567. Buses and taxis will move from sunrise. The Deputy President of the ANC, COSATU, SACP, and SANCO will be there. Five artists will lift our spirits. The struggle will be celebrated.
But Bašumi ba gešo, the real victory is getting home at 18h00.
TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE DEPARTMENT: YOU ARE MESSENGERS FIRST
Before you are drivers, before you are workers attending rallies, you are messengers of road safety. Our communities listen when we speak. This week, share our road safety messages on your WhatsApp Status, Facebook Stories, and Reels. Let’s flood Limpopo with safety, not sirens. Weekend Enkulu is over. Now we face Weekend Endaweni – endaweni safe, endaweni alive.
TO EVERY WORKER TRAVELLING TO THE RALLY:
Salary e kene, sense a e tsene. It’s month-end. Money is in. Taxis are full. Buses are loaded. Don’t turn payday into Pay-The-Price Day. Check your brakes. Check your tyres. Check your attitude.
May Day Rally ≠ Mayday on N1. 183km/h won’t get you to the speeches faster. It will get you to a crash scene. Our Traffic Officers will be on every route from 05h00. Overloading? Arrest!
Drinking? Arrest! Racing? Arrest!
Amandla! Awethu! Accident? Hayi! You fought for a living wage. Don’t lose your life on R37 from Sekhukhune or R81 from Mopani. Leave alcohol. Leave speed. Leave early. The only thing you must carry is workers’ power — not a case number.
The Home Stretch is the Hard Stretch. After 18h00, it will be dark. You will be tired. Rain might fall. Capricorn on R521, Vhembe on N1 North – lights ON, wipers READY, patience ON. You marched for workers’ rights. Now drive for your family’s right to see you tonight.
Bašumi, the revolution needs you alive. COSATU needs you alive. Your children need you alive.
We won the struggle for political freedom. We are still fighting for economic freedom. Let’s not lose that fight to a reckless overtaking on R71 or an overloaded bus on R101.
Toyi-toyi hard at the stadium. Drive smart on the road.
I will see you at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium. And I expect to see you at work next Monday.
Aluta Continua! Arrive Alive!