FOLLOWING numerous complaints from residents, the local councillor and hours of video footage from Homeland Security, the eThekwini Municipality has flagged the intersection in the vicinity of Tollgate Bridge for “a comprehensive road safety assessment”.

Janus Horn of Homeland Security said the busy intersections linking Jan Smuts Highway to Mazisi Kunene Road and Peter Mokaba Ridge has become famous for the wrong reasons. “Some people say it’s cursed,” he said.

From constantly monitoring the area, Horn said there is a high number of accidents in that vicinity which could be attributed to driver behavior and the possibility of the traffic light timer not being aligned.

“If you’re travelling south, from Peter Mokaba to Mazisi Kunene, on the northern side, the traffic light remains red for a shorter period while on the south it turns green,” said Horn.

Also Read: Trucks, traffic nightmare pose hazard on Tollgate Bridge

“A lot of people travel from the north to the south. They do not look at the first robot, they look at the second one. This creates a problem because they do not stop at the first robot, travelling over which causes accidents as cars coming from the freeway are coming at a high speed.”

According to the City the intersection is currently ranked 431st on the City’s list of crash locations, based on an analysis of the eThekwini’s crash database for the period 2022 to 2025.

@caxtonlocalmedia A surge in accidents and mounting complaints have forced authorities to act on safety concerns at the notorious Tollgate crossing. #bereamail #tollgatebridge #durban ♬ Breaking News – Voxie

Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said, “Importantly, no fatalities were recorded at this intersection during the period under review, providing context to its relative risk compared to other locations across the municipal road network.”

She said while there are no immediate indicators of critical safety failures, “the Municipality confirms that the location has been flagged for a comprehensive road safety assessment”. This assessment will evaluate traffic operations, user behaviour, and overall safety conditions at the intersection.

City reviews traffic signal timing

On the issue of the traffic signal timing, Sisilana said, “At present, there are no known issues with the traffic signal timing. The signal phasing and timing have been established in accordance with applicable legal and safety standards and have been tested and refined over time to ensure effective traffic flow and safety.”

She added, “The outcomes of the forthcoming road safety assessment will guide any necessary interventions. These may include engineering, operational, or enforcement-related measures aimed at further enhancing safety for all road users.”

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