The N4 via Schoemanskloof in Mpumalanga is increasingly becoming known as the “road of death”, as it is called by the residents of the kloof.

Over the past five months, no fewer than 58 accidents occurred on the road.  According to statistics supplied by TRAC, 17 people had lost their lives in these accidents.

“Two of the most serious accidents occurred on December 27 and March 4, in which five people died in each of these,” said Solange Soares, the spokesperson for TRAC.

She said the main causes of accidents are negligence, reckless driving and loss of control due to speeding.  This is echoed by Moeti Mmusi, the spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison.

“We continue to monitor the road on an ongoing basis. Many motorists have been brought to book for excessive speeding and dangerous overtaking, among others. Besides the observation, the department has received many complaints from the public about inconsiderate driving from some truck drivers on the N4 Toll Road and elsewhere, especially at night.

“Recently, Vusi Shongwe, the MEC for the department, personally participated in one of the operations targeting trucks. This came about after the MEC had witnessed a number of trucks at night not observing proper following distances, and that made difficult for drivers of other vehicles who were in a hurry to overtake. This at times leads to unnecessary crashes,” said Mmusi.

Soares said it is TRAC’s opinion that the major upgrade that already commenced with the Montrose interchange implementation will continue, with further contracts to be tendered during 2022 for the upgrading of the Schoemanskloof. This will provide additional passing opportunities and improve general road safety in the kloof.

“TRAC plans to provide additional passing lanes for both the eastbound and westbound directions for this section of the N4. This will result in 50% of the entire route having passing lanes at the end of these construction contracts.

“There are also plans for improvements of the multiple farm accesses on the Schoemanskloof section, by means of consolidation of these accesses (reducing the number of them), and providing turning lanes at busier intersections,” she said.

Mmusi said the department has conducted numerous operations on that stretch of the road. These operations include roadblocks, speed camera operations and patrols.

“We are already in the Easter period and we have action plans for the stretch of road, especially during the week of Good Friday and Easter Monday.”

Lowvelder recently drove on the Schoemanskloof Road once a day over a weekend and on a Monday, in an investigation of the traffic behaviour and the presence of traffic officials.

Not one traffic official was to be found.