Road safety plan draws criticism
The metro aims to improve road safety as part of an international campaign and R14.3-million investment. However, residents and ward councillors say they have seen little to no improvement.
The Tshwane Metro has invested R14.3-million in the improvement of road safety and protection of pedestrians as part of its commitment to the international campaign, Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.
The campaign aims to cut road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by the year 2030.
According to MMC for Road and Transport, Ntlangi Mogale, the money was allocated during the 2024/25 financial year with a strong focus on pedestrian safety.
She said areas surrounding schools and communities will be prioritised in all seven regions of the metro.
“The initiative is meant to reduce accidents and fatalities, promote a culture of road safety, and encourage responsible behaviour among motorists and pedestrians.”
Mogale said the measures form part of a long-term strategy to create safer environments for all road users.
She added that its road safety upgrades include the construction of 166 speed humps, 15 raised pedestrian crossings, 8 mini circles, 3.8km of pedestrian walkways, and 8 other safety features such as bollards, guardrails, and warning signs.
“These interventions are aimed at improving safety around schools and busy neighbourhoods, ensuring that pedestrians, especially children, can move safely through their communities.”
The metro has partnered with ChildSafe South Africa, a non-profit organisation that promotes child safety and injury prevention, to strengthen the campaign.
“Through this public-private partnership, the city aims to create a safer and more aware community where road users can coexist safely and responsibly,” said Mogale.
However, while metro officials highlight the progress being made, residents in several parts of Pretoria say they have yet to experience any improvement.
Resident Lido Pellencin said he wishes the metro could prioritise Gloudina Road.
He explained that despite repeated requests for speed humps and other safety measures, nothing has been done to address dangerous speeding in the area.
“We’ve been asking for speed humps for years. The cars race up and down the street at more than 120km an hour.
“It’s dangerous. People walk their dogs here, and children play in the streets. Nothing has changed,” said Pellencin.
He said he has received no communication from the metro despite numerous complaints and previous promises.
“Nobody has told me anything. They must come investigate and make a plan.
“Even a mini circle or something would help. Most of the residents here have the same problem,” he said.
Pellencin added that people walk their dogs on the same street, and it’s not safe for them either.
The metro previously said that due to current budget constraints, they are not in a position to install any new traffic-calming infrastructure on Gloudina Road.
Another resident, George Abraham, said the metro’s lack of maintenance and service delivery has made their area unsafe, not only for motorists but for everyone living there.
Abraham urged the metro to put the money to good use and install speed humps on Gloudina Road.
“The city’s inefficiency extends to other services too. When you report a problem, you get no help from the metro.”
Ward 47 Councillor Lida Erasmus said she also struggles to get the metro to act on road safety issues in her area and hopes they could use the money in areas where it’s needed.
She said Delmas Road and parts of Rubenstein Drive are particularly dangerous, with speeding cars, missing road markings, and broken streetlights making conditions worse.
“Delmas Road is very dangerous. People drive at high speed between Delmas Road and Solomon Mahlangu Drive.
“We’ve asked for pedestrian crossings, streetlights, and law enforcement, but the city says they can’t install speed humps because it’s rated as a provincial road,” Erasmus said.
She added that dark streets remain one of the biggest safety concerns across Tshwane.
“Ninety percent of the metro is dark. Streetlights are vandalised or stolen and never replaced. Criminals prefer dark streets.
“They vandalise them on purpose so they can operate without being seen,” she said.
Ward Councillor Siobhan Muller said the metro’s claims about improving safety sound hollow when compared to what residents see daily.
“The statement by the MMC is, to say the least, naïve if not completely misleading,” Muller said.
“Lynnwood Road is extremely dangerous. They are promoting safety while the roads are in disrepair and markings are faded or painted incorrectly.”
She said in some parts of Lynnwood Road, lines have been painted haphazardly.
“They’ve painted three lines next to each other, and you have no idea where to drive. It’s chaos,” she said.
Muller added that communication with residents about road closures and maintenance is often poor.
“They’re shutting King’s Highway on Friday without notice. Residents will only realise when they’re stuck in traffic.
“The metro can’t claim to prioritise road safety while showing such poor planning,” she said.
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