High accident zone needs to be secured
“You will find the warning road signs lying in the road, being knocked over by cars because it is simply not an effective way of warning drivers.”
Residents are concerned about what they refer to as a high accident zone on the Old Johannesburg Road R101 between Panorama Road and Lenchen Avenue in Eldoraigne, Centurion.
“More specifically the bridge over the N14-Krugersdorp highway in front of Centurion Lifestyle Centre,” said Cindy Billson, DA-councillor of ward 69, who recently received complaints from her ward.
DA-councillor of ward 64, Casper McDonald, said he was aware of “at least 10 people who died in accidents there. In the past it was called pad van die dood (the road of death)”.
“Four wards meet in that area. Ward councillors met with the metro and the provincial department of roads and transport onsite about two years ago after I received a complaint in my ward,” McDonald said.
Billson said concerned ward councillors also lodged a petition last year in this respect.
“The department installed rumble strips from Panorama’s side to Lenchen, but the residents complained about the noise,” McDonald said.
McDonald said subsequently it was replaced with smaller rumbles; however, that is not enough to prevent accidents.
Spokesperson for CERT-SA Ruan Heyns confirmed, “there are accidents more regularly in comparison with the rest of the area”.
“Traffic bottlenecks from Rooihuiskraal, then the road splits suddenly, but drivers don’t see that timeously and proceed straight into oncoming traffic.
“The split in the road simply pops up in front of drivers approaching from over the hill. Then the road turns sharply to the left, but it is too late.”
Billson said the road is too narrow and in dire need of proper lighting.
McDonald said “engineers poorly designed and built that road, it is not safe”.
All parties agree, however, that drivers should be warned well in advance of the dangerous split in the road, which is not currently the case.
“It is a high accident zone,” said Piet Botha, resident of Eldoraigne.
“I lost my son on that road, Petri, in May 2018. He was driving a motorcycle and was travelling in the direction of Johannesburg. The driver that caused the accident, was travelling in the direction of Pretoria.”
Botha said his son “passed away on the scene” and that he was the ninth person who lost his life there, at the time, that he had been aware of.
“You will find the warning road signs lying in the road, being knocked over by cars because it is simply not an effective way of warning drivers,” Botha said.
Botha said the department should at least add a barrier to the islands to guide drivers properly.
Fred Nel, DA shadow MEC for the department of roads and transport, said the upgrading of that area “will be out on tender soon. The department is busy with that project”.
“The department is planning the project as part of next year’s budget,” Nel said.
Nel said he will request the department to secure the area in the meantime.
Theo Nkonki, spokesperson for the department, said the department was looking into the matter and will revert soonest with feedback.
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