Another learner in Zwartkop crossing accident
“At around 07:15 he called me to tell me he was involved in an accident. I was very shocked because he was noticeably traumatised,” says the parent of the learner.
A matric learner was involved in a pedestrian accident at a notoriously “dangerous” intersection in front of Hoërskool Zwartkop on Thursday morning.
Belinda Nel said she dropped her son, Ruan Bezuidenhout, off for school in Frederik Avenue on the day at around 07:10.
From there he walked down the alley connecting Frederik Avenue with the R101 Old Johannesburg and Mopani Road crossing in front of the school.
“At around 07:15 he called me to tell me he was involved in an accident. I was very shocked because he was noticeably traumatised.”
Nel said she was grateful that her son was alive, but he did sustain injuries to his elbow and knees.
“One of his friends who saw the accident happen told me Ruan was flung through the air.
“I rushed back to my son where I got the registration number of the driver from a teacher. My son has an appointment at 10:00 at the doctor, after which I will report the incident to Wierdabrug police station.”
Elmar Muller, who dropped his daughter off at school, said the traffic was chaotic at the crossing at the time of the accident.
“Usually vehicles, mostly taxis, overtake the traffic on the shoulder of the road,” said Muller.
“They use the slipway to turn into to push in front of vehicles at the crossing. And from the opposite direction they use the gravel shoulder on the left of the R101 Johannesburg Road to overtake traffic.
“This morning the traffic lights were not working because of loadshedding. The number of vehicles driving next to the road to push in at the crossing, put a lot of pressure on law-abiding drivers. Barriers would help a lot to prevent this chaos.”
Local ward councillor Cindy Billson said many parents were up in arms because the safety of the crossing has not yet been addressed.
“It has been a burning issue in the community for a long time now. This was the fifth learner involved in a pedestrian accident at the crossing recently enough.”
Shadow Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Fred Nel, said he was aware that “this is not the first incident of a learner being involved in an accident at the crossing”.
“The DA engaged the Gauteng provincial roads and transport department several times to improve safety at this intersection after the previous incidents.”
He said unfortunately the department is very slow in its response.
Nel called on the Gauteng roads and transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo, to intervene as a matter of urgency.
“It is time the department honours its responsibility towards road safety.”
The department did not respond to comment at the time of going to press.
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