Illegal speed humps a danger for Tlokwe Street residents
The humps are erected where the officer’s yard starts and ends with no road signs indicating their presence which is one of the prerequisites according to the municipal by-laws.
Tsakani – Residents and motorists living along Tlokwe Street fear for their safety after an EMPD officer erected speed humps outside his home.
The humps are erected where the officer’s yard starts and ends with no road signs indicating their presence, which is one of the prerequisites according to the municipal by-laws.
It has become a regular occurrence that motorists lose control of their cars after failing to negotiate their way over the humps.
A resident, who asked not to be named, told African Reporter that it is dangerous to drive along Tlokwe Street at night, especially during load-shedding.
“The size of the humps is abnormal. It damages the underside of the car and for people who are not familiar with the road, it poses a danger to the unsuspecting motorist.
“On Saturday, a resident almost drove into my wall after losing control of his car. If children were playing outside he would have knocked them over,” she added.
Another resident said they are not against the idea of having humps on that road but the necessary requirements need to be met.
“The distance between the two humps and size is illegal and we as residents were not consulted,” he added.
As per the metro by-laws, a formal application for traffic calming measures must be submitted. It should contain relevant signatures of the applicant and/or supporting residents in the block(s) where installation is required.
In this case, the resident or the relevant offices were apparently not consulted. It is alleged the officer constructed the humps himself.
According to the by-laws, the implementation of physical obstructions in the roadway can cause damage to vehicles and can result in accidents if implemented incorrectly.
All traffic calming measures must be properly signed with road signs and road markings according to volume two and chapter 12 of the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual (1999).
All traffic calming measures must be properly visible, especially at night where artificial lighting should be provided if necessary.
When the metro police officer was approached by the African Reporter for comment, he chose not to say a word on the matter.
EMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Kelebogile Thepa said they are investigating the matter and necessary remedies will be applied soon.
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