Increasing concern regarding trucks on residential roads
The ward councillor in Greenhills has officially expressed his concern about heavy-duty trucks driving on residential roads, urging the municipality to address the matter.
Ward 9 councillor in Greenhills, Tewie Botha raised major concern regarding 40 to 80-ton trucks using residential roads.
Last month, Botha wrote a submission to MMC Dudu Mbulula concerning the condition of the main external roads’ infrastructure being damaged by heavy-duty trucks.
Botha referred to an article written by the Randfontein Herald in October 2023. The article included a resident concerned about the large trucks using North Way Road. Botha commented on the matter, emphasising that the road has a sign indicating ‘5-ton max weight’. However, Botha mentioned that 40 to 80-ton trucks can be seen using the residential roads daily.
• Also read: LETTER: Large trucks on North Way Road: Why is this allowed?
“Currently, Northway Road is badly destroyed and major water pipes underneath the road are broken regularly. The aim is to repair North Way Road from Homestead Avenue to the Greenhills Water Treatment Plant. This includes refusing all illegal usage of heavy-duty transport surpassing the weight limit,” Botha stated.
Botha also raised concerns about Ventersdorp Road and said that Elandsvlei and Randridge are becoming danger zones.
“No usable tar surface exists on these roads anymore which is a threat to motorists,” Botha concluded.
Botha has since requested that all heavy-duty vehicles be rerouted.
Rand West City Local Municipality (RWCLM) spokesperson Phillip Montshiwa commented on the matter and stated that the municipality is aware of the challenges along North Way Road.
• Also read: Municipality to address situation with large trucks on North Way Road
He added the trucks are travelling from Tarlton and Magaliesburg via the Greenhills Cemetery area using the North Way Road as their only means to access companies here in town.
“However, the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure along with the Gauteng Department of Community Safety is looking into the possibility of erecting speed humps to curb speeding on the stretch of the road. The other possibility is identifying an alternative road for these heavy trucks,” Phillip concluded.
In November 2023, the Herald reported on a media briefing held to discuss priority issues and future resolutions and road rehabilitation was one of the discussions.
Then, Montshiwa stated that the newly appointed RWCLM Executive Mayor William Mathafeng Matsheke elaborated on road infrastructure, saying that the municipality needs to rehabilitate the entire road network to ensure that the infrastructure stays stable over time.
He further claimed that patching up potholes would not maintain a standard road network.
