WATCH: Petition to have trucks stopped in Alberton in the pipeline

Business owners along the busy Union Street in Alberton North have been experiencing an influx of heavy vehicles, which, according to them, is a fatality waiting to happen.

Heavily loaded and at times not loaded trucks are reported to become stuck on a daily occurrence along the stretch of the road, making it impossible for customers to gain access to businesses in that busy street.

This is due to the street’s steep incline, causing trucks to experience brake failure and most often causing trailer instability. This is when the truck jackknifes.

Truck crashes into wall in Alberton pic.twitter.com/UBYGIrpj4R

— Alberton Record (@RecordAlberton) February 5, 2024

The safety and well-being of the community are said to be at stake, and businesses demand that immediate action be taken to address and rectify this long-standing grievance. The frequent breakdowns of trucks further intensify the traffic situation, causing significant disruptions.

Clint Mann of Alberton Auto Electrical said they are concerned about the safety of their staff, customers and the people who use Union Street.

“We have unroadworthy trucks driving up here, and in some of them, the air pipes aren’t even connected, which means there are no brakes. I don’t know if they [metro] are waiting for someone to die before something gets done,” he explained.

Citing several incidents, Mann said this has been an ongoing complaint for years now, where the trucks have been getting stuck constantly. At times he said customers cannot gain access to his premises.

According to Mike Wade of General Hinges, this is a daily occurrence.

“Recently, we’ve had the same truck going through two different walls on two different days. We don’t know how the EMPD allowed the truck back on the road. The solution is to find an alternative access road to their destination and Ekurhuleni needs to check that the trucks are roadworthy,” he said.

Petition to have trucks stopped in Alberton in the pipeline pic.twitter.com/91PvpymL6n

— Alberton Record (@RecordAlberton) February 5, 2024

In recent years, the Alberton North industrial area has seen service delivery deteriorate.

Businesses are now considering moving out of the area, while some already have done so,
The consensus is that it is getting harder to make a living.

The EMPD communication department has assured to escalate the inquiry to the Alberton precinct and will survey and address the situation.