Urgent need for directional signs
NORTHWOLD- Sunrise Estate Village Retirement's residents are fed up with JRA's lack of service.
Residents of Sunrise Estate Retirement Village are fed up with JRA’s lack of response with regards to their application to have directional signs posts to their home erected.
Pamela Wood, a resident at this home which caters for 80 people, said they have approached the authorities concerned but no action has been taken.
“We need a sign erected at the junction of 3rd and 5th roads in Northwold, indicating the direction to Sunrise Estate Retirement Village. Not only do our visitors experience difficulty in finding it for the first time, but incidents with ambulances have occurred more than once because they get lost as there are no signs on the roads,” explained Wood.
Bob Taylor, chairman of Sunrise Estate, said they applied to the Johannesburg Road Agency six months ago.
“We have made numerous attempts to have these directional signs erected but we have received no action. A few weeks ago, we called an ambulance which took hours to get here because they did not see any signs directing them to the home,” argued Taylor.
He further added that they reported the matter to Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau, but they have not seen any improvement.
Ward Councillor 101 Ralf Bittkau replied, “I have spoken to JRA several times and they always give lip service. In our meeting on 19 September, JRA informed me that, if Sunrise Estate is a private property, they will have to find someone who will sponsor their directional sign posts,” said Bittkau.
Norman Ingram, trustee member at Sunrise Estate, said they want to know the procedure. “All we want is an explanation from JRA, which has taken ages to come forth.”
Spokesperson of JRA Bertha Peter-Scheepers, explained that “According to the City of Johannesburg’s policy on directional signage, [it] does not allow for the signage of private estates or businesses within the road reserve.”
