KUNOKUKHATHAZEKA ngamazinga ezokuphepha kwezinye zezimoto zakwaRenault, Kia neSuzuki ngemuva kocwaningo olushicilelwe yi-Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP), i-#SaferCarsForAfrica.
I-Global NCAP igqugquzela ukuphepha ezimotweni njengona inephupho lokuthi abantu bagcine bengafi noma bangalimali kanzima ngenxa yezingozi.
Ucwaningo olushicilelwe lunike iKia Pegas neRenault Triber izinkanyezi ezimbili kwezinhlanu ngamazinga ezokuphepha kwathi iSuzuki Ertiga yathola eyodwa.
Lezi zimoto zijwayele nokubonakala zisebenza njengezokuthutha abantu bekhokhe ngebanga abalihambile.
Uma kucwaningwa kubhekwa izinto zokuphepha imoto enazo njengama-airbag, indawo yokufaka isihlalo sengane, isikhumbuzo sokufasa amabhande, electronic stability control (ESC) nokunye.
Imoto iphinde ihlolwe ngokuthi ishayiswe odongweni kubhekwe ukuqina kwayo ukuthi ibavikela kanjani abagibeli ngaphakathi.
I-#SaferCarsforAfrica yenziwa ngokubambisana ne-Automobile Association South Africa, Bloomberg Philanthropies neFIA Foundation.
UNobhala Jikelele weGlobal NCAP, u-Alejandro Furas, uthe baphoxekile ngokubona izinkampani ezifana neRenault, Kia neSuzuki zingenzi kahle e-Afrika yize zithola imiphumela engcono kwezinye izindawo.
"Amakhasimende ase-Afrika wona awawafanele amazinga afanayo ezokuphepha?" kubuza yena.
UMengameli weTowards Zero Foundation, uDavid Ward, uthe kumele kuphele ukungaphathwa ngendlela efanayo kwamakhasimende.
"Izinkampani ziyakwazi ukwakha izimoto eziphephile kubagibeli abadala nabancane kanjalo nabasebenzisa umgwaqo. Ukuveza lokhu kungalingani nokugqugquzela ukuphepha ezimotweni we-Afrika yinto eseqhulwini kwaGlobal NCAP," kusho uWard.
USikkie Kajee, onguSihlalo we-Automibile Association, uthe yize bekhathazekile ngokungenzi kahle kwezinkampani kodwa banethemba lokuthi zizosebenzisa imiphumela ukuthuthukisa ezokuphepha ezimotweni zazo ukuya phambili.
Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi iSuzuki Ertiga inama-airbag amabili ngaphambili. Luthe umzimba wayo ngathi awubhalansile kahle futhi ngaphambili ingase ilimaze umshayeli imilenze. Ukuvikeleka kwabagibeli abadala ekhanda nasentanyeni kunconyiwe. Ukuvikeleka kwesifuba kumgibeli kwathiwa kumshayeli kuncane.
Uma ushayisa eceleni ikhombise ukubagikela abagibeli yize ingenayo ama-airbag ezinhlangothini
I-Renault Triber enama-airbag amabili ikbhombise ukuvikela kahle ikhanda nentamo yomshayeli nomgibeli kodwa yaba buthaka ekuvikeleni isifuba somshayeli uma ishayisa ngaphambili nasohlangothini. Umzimba wayo nawo ukhombise ukungaqini kahle ukuvikela abagibeli uma ishayisa. Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi iwuvikela kahle umzimba uma ushayisa ohlangothini yize ingenawo ama-airbag eceleni. Ayinayo ne-ESC. Ayonayo ondawo yokufaka isihlalo sengane
IKia Pegas yona inama-airbag amabili ngaphambili futhi nayo umzimba ukhombise ukungaqini. Iyabavikela abagibeli ikhanda nomzimba kodwa, hhayi kahle esifubeni.
Nasohlangothini ikhombise ingabavikeli kahle esifubeni kodwa ingcono ekhanda nesingezansi. Ayinayo i-ESC nama-airbag eceleni.
ISuzuki Auto South Africa ithe ikhathazekile ngokushayisana kombiko. Othe nase-India kunohlelo olufanayo lapho kuhlolwe khona ne-Ertiga.
UHenno Havenga, oyiGeneral Manager ophikweni lezokukhangisa nokudayisa (Sales and Marketing) kwaSuzuki Auto South Africa, uthe umbiko wakamuva awuthi shu emakethe yaseNingizimu Afrika ngoba usebenzise ulwazi olungashayi ehloleni kuhlolwa ukushayisa ngaphambili naseceleni.
Uthe kusetshenziswe imininingwane imininingwane yocwaningo olwenziwa ngo-2019 ngesikhathi kuhlolelwa i-#SaferCarsForIndia futhi ayingeni ku-2024.
Uthe lokhu kungenxa yokuthi i-Ertiga eyahlolwa ngo-2019, indala futhi ayinakho ezokuphepha esezengeziwe. Uthe yakhelwe imakethe yase-India ngokwezidingo zamakhasimende akhona futhi ayikaze idayiswe kuleli.