Reader’s Letter: Loadshedding during peak hour traffic is a major safety concern

I am writing to you because it is my duty as a concerned resident of Mbombela to inform the public of the danger that the intersection of Samora Machel and the R40 holds. The robot at that extremely dangerous crossing is out every afternoon at 17:00 peak hour.

I have come to realise that it is due to load-shedding and that no traffic officials are taking care of the problem. This makes it dangerous for everybody on the road. I was stuck between four cars all going separate ways all at once.

Every car driving past has their brakes screeching as they try to avoid other cars. Yes, by all means I respect that load-shedding has to happen but can somebody at least make sure our path home will be safe when the traffic lights go down?

Who will pay for my car when it is damaged or my loved ones’ lives when they are lost due to a danger zone robot being defective and no officials to delegate traffic?

I urge officials to make our way home safe because although when we get there we will sit in the dark, at least we will sit together as a family.

• The City of Mbombela Local Municipality did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment at the time of going to press.