The Duvenages say they keep the grass short on their property to assist with giving a clear view of the road but the same cannot be said of the Transport Department.
A bizarre mix of geographical vagaries and equally bizarre driving has caused the Duvenage family angst and money.
Their boundary walls and fences on their farm Hayfields, on the Sunset Rest road, has been the scene of many a tragic accident over the years.
Lives have been lost through motorists – some drag racing and others simply not familiar with the area – crashing into the wall and fence that borders their property.
“The stop street on the main road from the Glencoe Prison is not clearly marked. The rumble strips that were installed on the road a few years ago are simply driven over – the quicker a car goes, the easier it is to get airborne over the strips,” said family patriarch, George Duvenage, who purchased the farm over 20 years ago.
“Visitors to the area do not realise there is even a stop street. The grass is very long and obscures a clear view of the Sunset Rest road.” The road is particularly busy in the mornings and in the afternoons with children being driven to Uelzen School further down the road. “We just dread the day when school children will be involved in an accident here.” Calls to the Transport Department’s regional office in Ladysmith for the installation of bigger speed bumps to warn motorists to stop on the prison road have been met with the stock answer of ‘but the Department has no money’.
Mr Duvenage said the damage to his walls and fences over the last three years amounts to hundreds of thousands of Rands. “Insurance refuses to pay out anymore. I think they are just as sick and tired of hearing from us as we are of cars crashing here.”
Calls to the Transport Department’s regional office in Ladysmith for the installation of bigger speed bumps to warn motorists to stop on the prison road have been met with the stock answer of ‘but the Department has no money’.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Hayfields falls into the Amajuba District Municipality and the prison road into Umzinyathi.
George Duvenage surveys the wrecked wall caused by yet another accident.
“We go to the Newcastle Transport office and they tell us to go to Ladysmith. And so it goes. Meantime, lives are being lost.”
The most recent accident was three weeks ago on a Friday evening when a Zimbabwean motorist – who was allegedly under the influence – hit the wall after going through the stop street. Miraculously, he emerged unscathed.
Other accidents have been more tragic and several young lives lost.
The Duvenages have lost solar panels, fences and walls. “We are thinking of putting up the boundary wall about a kilometre away – maybe that will help!”
“Perhaps several flashing orange warning lights on the prison road warning motorists to approach the intersection with caution will help.
“We really do not want to do anymore,” Mr Duvenage told the Courier. Questions were sent to the Transport Department and the Courier is waiting for a reply.
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