Ward 50 (Annlin, Sinoville, and Wonderboom) residents, motorists and school communities are once again in a state of deep frustration as long-awaited traffic-calming measures remain stalled.

This is alleged to be due to a persistent and widening funding crisis within the metro’s Roads and Transport Department.

The issue, which has dragged on for more than four years in some parts of the ward, has raised growing concerns about road safety along Braam Pretorius Street and surrounding routes. Road safety, especially near Northridge Primary, Overkruin High, and Wonderboom Primary, is a growing concern where speeding vehicles and high traffic volumes continue to pose daily risks.

Ward 50 councillor Lenise Breytenbach told Rekord that the situation has reached an unacceptable point of neglect.

She has repeatedly called for urgent interventions, particularly in areas where parents, pedestrians, and learners cross or travel during peak hours.

Despite several meetings, formal applications, and ongoing pressure from her office, she said the metro continues to cite the same obstacle: money.

“We have been applying for circles, traffic calming and signage for years, and every time we are told finances are the issue. Our community cannot wait indefinitely while risk increases daily,” she said.

The metro confirmed that its Roads and Transport Department has not received dedicated funding for traffic-calming installations for more than five consecutive financial years.

The municipality stated that previous financial cycles saw no capital budget allocated for these interventions, especially in older priority areas like Ward 50.

As a direct result, long-standing requests, including those near schools and in residential pockets with high pedestrian activity, have not been implemented.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo further explained that traffic-calming funding typically relies on grant allocations from the Gauteng Provincial Department of Roads and Transport.

He said these grants are governed by strict spending criteria and are audited annually to ensure compliance.

“The limited availability of these funds means that only a small number of interventions can be implemented each year, leaving hundreds of streets, including several in Ward 50, on a growing backlog list that currently exceeds 450 locations across Tshwane,” he said.

Residents say that the situation has become dire and increasingly dangerous.

Elmarie du Plessis said, “We see cars speeding down Braam Pretorius every single day. Children, elderly people and even cyclists are constantly at risk. How is it that nothing can be done for more than four years?”

She said she no longer allows her children to walk unaccompanied in the area because motorists often ignore speed limits.

Another resident, Siyabonga Nkosi, said the lack of progress feels like a failure of basic service delivery.

“It’s not only about the schools. It’s all of us, motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. We are all exposed.

“We keep hearing about funding shortages, but what are we supposed to do in the meantime? Are we waiting for a serious accident before action is taken?” he said.

Mashigo confirmed that several Ward 50 traffic-calming requests, including those for Carlo Street, Marico Avenue, and around Laerskool Stefanus Roos, are already on the metro’s official implementation register.

He said these areas will only be addressed once funding becomes available, with the metro unable to provide any timelines.

The department has also received requests for truck-restriction measures along the Lavender-Wonderboom mountain route.

Mashigo said the metro has already designed and installed weight-restriction signage on Steve Biko Road.

Although further road-marking enhancements were recommended, these could not proceed due to budget limitations.

Regarding the possibility of a height-restriction gantry, the metro outlined multiple concerns.

Mashigo said the structure would be largely ineffective because many heavy vehicles using the road are within the height threshold.

He added that the available space would leave trucks stranded at a point with no safe turning area, creating additional hazards.

“The route provides essential access for heavy municipal vehicles servicing a reservoir in the area, meaning a gantry would obstruct critical operations.”

Despite the severity of the situation, the metro noted that it is currently not implementing temporary traffic-calming measures on the affected roads.

These, too, will only be reconsidered when funding becomes available. The department said all traffic-calming requests are evaluated through a formal assessment system that assigns risk-based priority scores.

While this ensures consistency, it also means many longstanding applications, including several from Ward 50, remain in the queue as the metro battles a multi-year backlog.

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