The dangerously dilapidated state of Johanna Drive has now potentially contributed to the tragic loss of a local man who died in a horrific accident on Saturday, November 22.

Bongani Maseko was killed when he reportedly lost control of his bakkie and crashed into the wall of De Rust Eco Estate. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.

The Maseko family was not available to comment or provide a tribute.

The fatal accident confirmed the fears of residents, who say they have repeatedly warned the City of Mbombela (CoM) that this stretch of Johanna Drive was an ‘accident waiting to happen’.

Once again, residents are urging the CoM to implement traffic-calming measures. The road is severely deteriorated, lacks functional street lighting, and has no speed bumps or traffic circles to alert motorists to slow down.

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According to Johan van Heerden, manager of De Rust Eco Estate, the accident was sadly an inevitable consequence of the road’s poor condition. He cited the factors that contributed to Maseko’s death: deepening potholes, a dangerous bend near De Hoek, non-existent or malfunctioning streetlights, and a lack of warning signs.

“All of these make it highly likely that more accidents could occur on Johanna Drive,” Van Heerden said. He added that the right-hand turn at De Hoek is particularly hazardous and the frequent crossing of wildlife from the eco estate adds an additional risk.

CoM spokesperson Joseph Ngala said plans are in place to repair the road, which will soon be resurfaced, but he could not provide a timeline for the installation of speed bumps or a traffic circle.

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He explained that residents must formally initiate requests through their ward councillor to ensure they are included in the Integrated Development Plan. “We have not received a request for speed bumps or traffic circles from the ward councillor,” he said. Ngala added that formal requests for speed bumps must undergo a feasibility study before approval.

He went on to question the feasibility of certain measures. “It is not feasible to put both a speed bump and a traffic circle on that road. Residents are aware of the speed limit and need to adhere to it,” he said.

Ward councillor Thea Rix said she has submitted a request for a speed bump on behalf of the community. “To this day, there has been no response. Some residents were even willing to fund it themselves, but neither they nor the affected community members received any follow-up,” she said.