Mbombela motorists say overgrown grass poses serious dangers

Motorists and pedestrians have expressed their discontent with the tall grass next to some of the City’s streets and roads.

A concerned road user, Hennie van Niekerk (72) of White River, has stated that the grass was now becoming a hideout for criminals, and he believes the municipality will wait until people are mugged, hijacked or involved in an accident before action is taken. “I believe management is aware of the tall grass, because most of them use these streets, but I’m not sure why they are taking such a long time to cut it. I appeal to anyone responsible for it to make a plan for our safety,” he said.

A pedestrian, Given Nkuna, said the grass poses a danger to people who walk the streets daily. “It is now dangerous to walk alone, because I can be attacked and no one will notice, because the grass is tall. I was mugged before next to the bus shelter in Kiaat, and I don’t want anyone else to go through that.”

The South African National Taxi Association’s public relations officer of Ehlanzeni, Muntu Gama, said its customers who usually get off next to the streets, including the drivers, are no longer safe.

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“I believe they will consider cutting the grass after we have lost lives next to the roads. They’re aware that the grass is overgrown and that we can’t see some of the road signs and the yellow lines,” Gama said.

The spokesperson for the City of Mbombela, Joseph Ngala, said, “The team has been cutting the grass verges and parks throughout this season, but due to the excessive rainfall, the growth is extremely rapid and due to this, the team is behind schedule.”

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