Illegal parking on Jules Street in Cleveland is described as a disaster waiting to happen.
Shop and car owners say the big trucks that park along the road make it unsafe to use the street.
Jules Street residents are demanding that action be taken against heavy vehicles that park illegally along the street, completely blocking the entire lane.
Residents say these trucks often block the residents from entering the street.
One business owner, Mr Asaac Asuzu, said about two weeks ago his wife’s car was hit by an oncoming vehicle as she was driving out.
He said the trucks are so big that when you want to drive onto the street it becomes difficult to see any oncoming traffic, as the trucks have completely bocked the road.
“You cannot see what traffic is coming up Jules Street,” said one of the street vendors.
“Another car was struck because the trucks had blocked the entire left lane and motorists were forced to use one lane,” he said.
Clr Mike Spadino said he has repeatedly brought this to the attention of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), who claim they do regular operations in the area.
According to Clr Spadino, in a more recent incident, a motorcycle went underneath one of the trucks. Luckily no one was injured.
“The problem is that there is no parking for big trucks in the area and this creates a problem. The truck owners need to instruct their drivers where to park,” he added.
Clr Spadino believes that there is a need to allocate a space for trucks to park.
He said the trucks are not only causing accidents but are also damaging the infrastructure in the area. Even several water hydrants have been damaged.
Clr Spadino said the damage is as a result of the road not being designed for large, loaded trucks.
He believes the JMPD should do more than simply issuing fines.
“They should tow the trucks away before someone is killed,” he said.
A request for comment was sent to the JMPD’s spokesperson. No comment was received at the time of going to print.
