Residents’ concerns over dangerous conditions at the Cedar Road intersections near Steyn City School have gained further attention after authorities confirmed a pattern of crashes and ongoing investigations into safety interventions.

Ward 96 councillor Rufas Maswazi has repeatedly alleged that poor traffic light sequencing, congestion, and reckless driving are contributing to accidents along the busy provincial route, particularly during peak school hours.

Read more: Pothole patrols intensify repairs on Witkoppen Road using recycling tar method

Responding to media inquiries, Superintendent Xolani Fihla, spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), confirmed that the department’s fatal accident register reflects multiple incidents along the Cedar Road corridor, including at the intersections of Spencer Street, Frederick Street, and Steyn Road.

“Our records indicate a pattern of head-rear collisions and jaywalking pedestrian incidents in this precinct.”

He added that several incidents occurred during peak traffic periods, which residents say reflects the severity of congestion in the area. “This clearly shows that the school intersection area is a recurring site for these types of accidents.”

Fihla also explained that while JMPD maintains accident registers for enforcement and monitoring purposes, formal traffic engineering assessments fall under the responsibility of Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and provincial authorities.

“JMPD shares our collision data with JRA and provincial authorities to inform their safety audits and potential infrastructure changes.”

Also read: MEC leads Clay Oven informal settlement clean-up

Lesiba Mpya, spokesperson for the MEC at the Gauteng department of roads and transport, said traffic signal timing and programming are conducted according to the South African road traffic sign manual.

“Traffic counts are conducted at the intersection, including vehicle and pedestrian traffic, and in some cases bicycles.

“Thereafter, traffic signal plans are designed according to traffic volumes on each approach. An approach with higher traffic volumes will therefore be allocated more green time.”

Mpya confirmed that the department recently appointed service providers for traffic signal repairs and that the Cedar and Riverside roads intersection forms part of the identified sites requiring attention.

He further revealed that Steyn City appointed Techworld Consulting Engineers to conduct studies at the intersection.

“The investigations will focus on identifying the cause of the accidents occurring at the intersection, and the findings will be shared with all relevant stakeholders.”

According to Mpya, the studies include road safety assessments, reviews of traffic signal timing, and inspections of road markings to determine what interventions may improve safety.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!