POLOKWANE – Unmarked roads and missing road signs in the city are contributing towards daily motor-vehicle accidents.
Johann de Venter is just one of the many Polokwane motorists who said he had been involved in and observed countless accidents because of this. He said in a recent incident that occurred on his way to taking his children to a school concert, a woman failed to stop at the stop sign on the corner of Bendor Drive and Genl Maritz Street and collided with his vehicle. “She said she had not seen the markings on the road and the stop sign was missing or broken off.
“This is the municipality’s fault because they do not repair broken signs timeously and they do not ensure the maintenance of the road markings,” De Venter said.
Other places in the city that pose a danger due to poor or no road markings and road signs, and have reportedly caused accidents as a result include the lane markings when leaving the Thornhill Shopping Centre. New road markings which differ from the old road markings were painted recently but at night both the old and new road markings are visible and cause confusion.
On the corner of Bulawayo and Klipdam streets in Ladanna there is a three-way stop but at night the stop sign is not visible and the road markings are barely visible. This intersection is of grave concern to parents during the day as it is near a school where children cross the street and motorists often fail to stop, according to parents and teachers. They said they have made requested the municipality numerous times to repair the signs and repaint the road to no avail.
Ngwese Mulaudzi, a parent whose child attends the school, said this state of affairs had even further-reaching consequences than accidents being caused and people being injured or killed. “I once had an argument with a fellow motorist after the motorist had skipped the stop sign and almost run over a child who was crossing. The argument, which could easily have become violent, would not have to take place if the municipality would just do their jobs,” she said.
Elna Smith, a teacher at the school, said her classroom afforded a clear view of the intersection in question and she saw vehicles failing to stop on a daily basis. “I have seen police and government vehicles, and even fire department vehicles skip the stop sign. The intersection is just another accident waiting to happen,” Smith said.
At the time of going to print Review had still been unable to get comment on the matter from the municipality in spite of numerous e-mails sent and telephone calls made over a two-week period.
