Learner safety on busy road questioned once again
The Department of Education said it is already engaging with local authorities to negotiate solutions to restrict access to the busy road.
Questions about the safety of learners outside a school in Hennopspark have once again been raised following an accident at a “dangerous intersection” on Old Johannesburg road.
A 17-year-old learner was hit by a taxi on his way to school on Tuesday, September 5.
Dean Venter from Hoërskool Zwartkop was riding his motorbike at 07:15, when a taxi going down the wrong side of the road hit him.
The learner sustained several wounds and bruises all over his body, but was fortunately otherwise not seriously injured.
Gauteng department of education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department was aware of the incident and had dispatched a psychosocial team to offer the necessary support.
“We are grateful the affected learner did not sustain serious injuries and did not need to be hospitalised,” he said.
“Several engagements were held with local authorities regarding restricting access to Hennops Road, which will result in fewer vehicles passing behind the school. We can confirm that negotiations are currently underway with the provincial authority regarding the request,” added Mabona.
Dewald Venter, the learner’s father, said he was at work when his son called him a few minutes after the incident.
He said he arrived at the scene within minutes.
Venter said traffic in Valley Road is usually backed up in the mornings, with long lines waiting to join the R101 Old Johannesburg road.
Security cameras overlooking the road recorded the moments before the incident, showing a taxi using the wrong side of the road to by-pass other vehicles.
Other motorists immediately boxed the taxi in, before they went to police to open a case.
Venter said this was not the first time his son had been involved in an accident at the intersection.
In the first, Venter said a delivery motorbike had bumped his son’s from behind.
Parents at Hoerskool Zwartkop are concerned about the safety of their children, as the intersections have become notoriously dangerous.
Venter said the parents have been dealing with the dangerous intersection for many years.
He listed the following incidents:
– In March 2021, a learner was hit by a vehicle while crossing the road in front of the school, sustaining injuries to his arms and legs.
– In September 2020, a 14-year-old learner was struck by a taxi at the intersection of the R101 Old Johannesburg and Mopani roads. He spent three days in ICU with bleeding on the brain and a fractured skull.
Following this accident, the parents have petitioned the Gauteng department of roads and transport for visible policing, traffic control, road curbing and a pedestrian bridge.
The department had not responded to Rekord enquiries at the time of going to press, but Gauteng shadow MEC for roads and transport Fred Nel said barriers have since been constructed to prevent vehicles from endangering pedestrians on the side of the road.
“Unfortunately, it is difficult to prevent vehicles from skipping traffic lights through environmental design.
“Therefore, the best solution to address irresponsible driver behaviour will be through increased policing at the intersection. This will require regular presence of metro police and other branches of traffic police to deal with drivers not respecting the traffic laws. This is not always possible at the frequency that we would like it to be,” said Nel.
“We also need to ensure that, if a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle that did not adhere to traffic laws, that they are prosecuted to the full extent the law allows.”
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