WARD 36 councillor Heinz de Boer said a review of eThekwini Municipality’s road-calming policy is needed, following a series of accidents on Old Mill Way, the latest of which occurred on Sunday night.

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De Boer said although he has been in communication with the City about this policy for years now, it is something he will be prioritising in the new year.

@caxtonlocalmedia Durban North roads are becoming dangerous. Ward 36 councillor Heinz de Boer says Old Mill Way is now a major accident hotspot — with up to 10 crashes a month in some areas. Residents have been asking for speed humps, traffic lights and road calming measures — but the city says the roads don’t meet policy rules. Meanwhile, people are being knocked down and lives are at risk. After another serious crash on Sunday, calls are growing for the city to review its road-calming policy and act before it’s too late. Should policy matter more than safety? ##NorthglenNews #DurbanNorth #ethekwini ♬ original sound – caxtonlocalmedia

“Old Mill Way has become a major accident hotspot, despite repeated requests by residents and ward councillors for traffic lights, speed humps and other calming measures for a few years now,” he said.

Those requests, he says, were denied because the road did not meet the municipality’s current policy criteria.

He said the problem was not limited to Old Mill Way. Other Durban North roads, including Blackburn Road, Chris Hani Road and Kensington Drive, were also experiencing frequent crashes, some of them fatal, with pedestrians regularly knocked down.

“In some areas we are seeing up to 10 accidents a month. We’ve been fighting the City for many years. If a road doesn’t match the policy, speed humps are not approved. Warning lights and centre medians were also denied,” said de Boer.

He added that even if interventions are approved, budget constraints are an issue as the City lacks funds for the installation of traffic lights and traffic calming measures.

“A broader review of the road-calming policy was needed to address suburban roads that fall outside existing criteria but pose a clear danger to motorists and pedestrians,” added de Boer.

De Boer added that increased metro police visibility and active enforcement were urgently needed, particularly in high pedestrian zones.

Durban Metro SAPS spokesperson Superintendent Boysie Zungu said police were dealing with the matter, but one of the biggest challenges remained drinking and driving.

“We have ongoing patrols, which help to reduce incidents, but they cannot end them completely,” Zungu said. “We urge motorists to report reckless driving at their nearest police station which is Umhlanga Police Station and Durban North Police station for this area.”

“Drivers also need to change their behaviour on the roads. Obey the rules and stick to the speed limit.”

Durban North resident Sheetal Cross said the community was outraged by what she described as the municipality’s lack of action.

“Yet another near-fatal crash has taken place on Old Mill Way and a young man is now in critical condition,” said Cross.

“These incidents are not isolated. In the past few months alone, we’ve had multiple serious crashes causing severe damage and placing lives at risk.”

She said residents and ward councillors had repeatedly appealed for traffic calming measures, with no meaningful response.

“It is only a matter of time before one of these incidents becomes a fatality. We urgently need the municipality to act,” she said.

The City did not comment at the time of publishing.

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