Going nowhere slowly on Salt Rock Road

Dangerous intersections, narrow roads and standstill traffic have become hallmarks of the Salt Rock Road as the area continues to grow.

The question of what to do about the stretch of road between Mount Richmore on the one end, and Tiffany’s Shopping Centre on the other, is a pressing one – and nobody seems to have any real answers.

Motorists trying to get on and off the N2, Sasol, Tiffany’s, Dunkirk and Mount Richmore at peak periods inch into oncoming traffic, trying to see past one another and looking for a gap into both lanes.

Meanwhile, hundreds of school children and pedestrian commuters are crossing or walking along the ’emergency lanes’ – less than a metre wide in many places – and taxis are stopping willy-nilly to offload passengers who join the throng, dotted by a cyclist here and there.

A survey of drivers caught in the morning traffic jam revealed that some sat for 45 minutes or more just taking their children to Umhlali Prep, a mere five km from Sheffield.

In the midst of all this chaos three pointsmen try desperately to control the flow of traffic, while motorists sit in their cars wondering why traffic lights were not installed years ago.

Also read: New-look centre for Salt Rock

The Courier approached KwaDukuza municipality, the Department of Transport (DoT), Dunkirk and Mount Richmore Estates, Sasol Salt Rock and Tiffany’s Shopping Centre in an effort to find out what – if any – plans were in the works for the road (also called the MR330), and just as importantly, who approved these dangerous junctions.

In a nutshell, do not hold your breath for traffic lights anytime soon.

KDM media liaison Sipho Mkhize was quick to point out that the MR330 was the DoT’s responsibility. Rumours that DoT was suing KDM for approving connecting junctions (such as those of Dunkirk or Sasol) to a provincial road were vehemently denied by both parties.

However, Mkhize did say: “The DoT, in our view, cannot sue the KwaDukuza municipality as they are responsible for the situation we find ourselves in by approving development without due consideration.

“The DOT allowed for the developments near the road in question to proceed. It is on record that they approved all of the above developments (from a road infrastructure point of view) and more. Sadly, this was without proper consideration.”

The DoT was not so quick to respond. Over the course of a month, the Courier contacted the department repeatedly to query the rumoured lawsuit, whose responsibility the road was, what was planned and who had approved the connecting roads.

Finally, DoT media liaison Mluleki Mtungwa said: “We are not aware of any legal processes instituted by the department against KwaDukuza municipality. Our team will be making assessments on the road you have spoken about to see if we can do something to ease the traffic flow.”

The apparent lack of urgency in finding a solution is of particular concern to the developers of the new shopping centre at Mount Richmore nearing completion and several new housing estates, such as Zululami, which are springing up in Sheffield. With all this development, traffic lights, wider roads and improved intersections are a non-negotiable need.

Tiffany’s Centre manager Nicky Vorster said both KDM and DoT had approved the entrance to their property.

“All development approvals, especially on main road systems, have to be traffic compliant,” she said.

“Tiffany’s, as should all developments, would not have received building plan approval from the municipality without these (and other) approvals first being in place, as stated in the services agreement between KDM and the developer.”

This same agreement clearly states: “All vehicular accesses and egresses to and from the external roads shall be designed and constructed, at the cost of the developer, to the satisfaction of the Provincial Department of Transport and SANRAL as well as the municipality.”

This appears to be at odds with KDM’s assertion that DoT approved development without due consideration for traffic. However, it appears as though there is some overlap in the approval of developments, as the road itself falls under DoT while the land around it is KDM’s responsibility.

Both Tiffany’s and Mount Richmore’s management said they and other parties had been speaking to both authorities for several years.

“To this end, pro-active input has been conspicuous by its absence even though there have been many vehicular accidents and even a few tragic losses of life,” said Vorster.

Both also said they were more than willing to play their part in whatever solution is finally deemed appropriate.

Vorster said the installation of traffic lights at the existing intersections is most probably the first step but the relevant authorities were just not budging.

The Courier was unable to obtain comment from either Sasol Salt Rock or Dunkirk Estates.

Still, the next time you are stuck in morning traffic along this road, look on the bright side: you can have a lively chat with the Jehovah’s Witnesses who are often roadside in front of Tiffany’s, while eating a handy packet of chips from the lady with her snack stall right behind them; sometimes there are even estate agents and you never know when it might be a buyer’s market.

After that, when you get to the junction with the Sheffield Beach Road, you can say hi to Stan Malyon and his faithful dog, Lady, and perhaps buy one of his amazing bamboo bird feeders.

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