Illegal U-turns spark safety concerns on Old Johannesburg Road

The TMPD has confirmed that it is aware of ongoing complaints about illegal U-turns along Old Johannesburg Road in Centurion and says it is stepping up enforcement while working towards a more permanent solution.

This comes as motorists who frequently travel along the busy route, particularly near the Sasol Garage in Rooihuiskraal, continue to raise concerns about recurring illegal U-turns that they say are contributing to regular traffic disruptions and a growing number of accidents.

Road users have described how drivers often attempt to turn across oncoming traffic, especially during peak hours, creating hazardous conditions and increasing the risk of serious collisions.

TMPD spokesperson Isaac Mahamba said that the department is aware of the issue and has already taken steps to address it through increased visibility and enforcement.

He explained that officers are being deployed during morning and afternoon peak periods to monitor the area, enforce traffic laws, and assist schoolchildren crossing the road safely.

Mahamba said the department is also engaging with the provincial Department of Roads and Transport in an effort to find a more permanent solution to the problem.

He urged motorists to comply with traffic laws, warning that making U-turns at that location is illegal.

“We also advise motorists to refrain from making those U-turns, as it is against the Road Traffic Act. If they do not comply, they will face consequences. We also urge motorists to be cautious of schoolchildren when they are crossing the road. We will continue to deploy until the situation is normalised,” he said.

Despite these efforts, motorists who frequently travel along the route say the problem persists and continues to pose a serious danger.

Johan Kotze, one of several road users who have raised concerns, described the stretch near the Sasol Garage as increasingly hazardous due to drivers disregarding traffic rules and making U-turns, often in busy conditions.

Kotze recalled a serious incident in late March in which a bakkie attempted to make an illegal U-turn in front of an oncoming truck, leaving the driver trapped inside the vehicle and requiring emergency services to cut him free before he could be transported to hospital.

“Such incidents are becoming alarmingly common, with many motorists appearing to have normalised the behaviour despite the risks involved,” he said.

Reflecting on his own experience, Kotze noted that he was involved in a crash in February while riding his motorcycle when a vehicle made an illegal U-turn, resulting in a collision between him and a truck.

He sustained a broken shoulder and said he was fortunate his injuries were not more severe, especially as he landed in the oncoming lane, where the consequences could have been far worse had there been approaching traffic.

He believes that while some motorists show blatant disregard for road rules, the layout of the road also makes it easier for illegal turns to occur.

“Multiple accidents, sometimes as many as three in a single month, occur along this stretch, and this calls for urgent intervention,” he added.

These concerns have been echoed by the Wierdabrug Sector 2 Community Policing Forum, which says the issue has persisted for several months without sufficient preventative measures.

CPF spokesperson Mynhardt Le Roux explained that the problem is particularly prevalent near the Sasol garage in Rooihuiskraal, especially for motorists travelling from the Centurion side towards the N1.

“Just past the garage, where the central island dividing the northbound and southbound lanes ends, drivers who have filled up often attempt to make U-turns to head back towards Midrand,” he said.

In doing so, they frequently misjudge oncoming traffic, resulting in accidents.

He noted that although a solid line is in place and a no U-turn sign had previously been erected, the sign has been knocked over multiple times and has been lying on the ground for the past three to four months without being reinstated.

He added that serious accidents have been occurring in this section for approximately the past seven to eight months.

While the TMPD has responded to some of these incidents, Le Roux said there has been little preventative action beyond clearing accident scenes.

He recommended that yellow plastic barrier pipes, similar to those used on highway off-ramps and on-ramps, be installed along that stretch of road to physically prevent motorists, particularly taxis, from making illegal U-turns, and to improve overall safety.

Rekord reached out to the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport for comment on the matter but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

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