Alida Venter | Championing Road Safety and Winning the 2024 Thami Radebe Road Heroes Award
At Drive More Safely, we are thrilled to celebrate a monumental achievement by one of our own. Alida Venter, a tireless advocate for road safety, has been honoured with the 2024 Thami Radebe Road Heroes Award. This prestigious recognition, presented by the Road Ethics Project, acknowledges Alida’s unwavering dedication and impactful contributions toward safer roads in South Africa.
A Well-Deserved Recognition
The award, based on nominations by Gerald Elske and Johannes Venter, highlights Alida’s exceptional leadership and selflessness in advancing road safety initiatives. Among her many achievements, her ability to unite organizations, including securing the commitment of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) to embrace ProjectEDWARD (Every.Day.Without.A.Road.Death) for the 2024–2025 festive season, truly stood out.
A nominator described Alida as:
- “The most active, most humble, and hardworking activist.”
- “Relentless” in her approach, taking on initiatives such as painting pedestrian crossings, distributing teddy bears to injured children, educating road users, and lobbying for legislative changes.
The 2024 nominees were highly diverse, making the adjudication process a challenging one. However, Alida’s work met all three of the award’s key criteria, with her leadership in reducing road traffic injuries, disabilities, and deaths earning her top marks.
Turning Grief into Action
Alida’s journey toward road safety advocacy is deeply personal. After the tragic loss of her son, Tommie Kloppers, she channelled her grief into creating meaningful change. Her relentless efforts to expand her skills and knowledge have allowed her to make a significant and lasting difference in South African road safety.
Aligned with Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach
Alida’s work aligns with the Road Ethics Project’s Vision Zero philosophy—a commitment to eliminating road crash fatalities—and the Safe System Approach, which prioritizes ethical and sustainable solutions to road safety. Her work serves as an inspiring example of how individual efforts can contribute to systemic change.
On behalf of everyone at at the Road Ethics Project and Drive More Safely, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Alida Venter on this well-deserved recognition. Her dedication serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration to all working toward safer roads in South Africa.
Here’s to a safe and impactful 2025, Alida!
You can download the Congratulations Letter from Dr Lee Randall, Co-founder and director of Road Ethics Project NPC