The Standerton Advertiser has reported on road conditions in Morgenzon in the past, but the presence of trucks could be a reason for some residents calling it quits and looking for greener pastures.
“They damage our roads and most of the drivers drive wherever they want and park their trucks anywhere they see fit,” Mr Corne van Dijk, a businessman, said.
He added that the truck drivers are lawless and traffic officers, who have to apply the law and issue penalties for offenses, are more focused on ensuring motorists have driver’s licences and wear seat belts.
Mr Van Dijk spoke to the newspaper and mentioned the trucks park in neighbourhoods during the evening, obstructing entrances to homes and destroying their lawns.
He mentioned that a railway line to Majuba Power Station was built and testing of the trains took place two years ago.
According to him, it was to lessen road damage and it would have taken an estimated 80 per cent of traffic off the roads.
This train service is not in operation currently.
The Standerton Advertiser was unsuccessful in its attempt to contact Transnet on Friday, 3 May and the national landline number was answered during which a woman gave an alternative number, after listening to the query.
The second call was not answered and when trying the original number, the telephone rang for a full five minutes.
An e-mail was sent on the same day, outlining the problem in Morgenzon.
Residents have gone so far as to put concrete structures in strategic places to prevent trucks from driving through residential areas and protecting businesses as well.
“We have a business in town and truck drivers park in front of our gates, preventing customers and workers from getting in or out of the premises,” another businessman said.
Another resident said the farmers held a meeting to discuss the state of their town and to look into solutions to fix the problem.
“We had more interest from the community than we first anticipated and saw people really caring about the town,” Mr Blackie Zwarts, said.
He had a meeting with Eskom and the Lekwa Municipality during which they met at the road in question, and according to him, they admitted the town is in chaos and promised to look into the matter for solutions.
According to him, all his calls and letters to the relevant people are ignored since the meeting.
Mr Zwarts added that local truck companies made money available to repair the road, which the municipality allegedly rejected, but they were allowed permission to fill potholes in the road.
The condition was that youth leaders be appointed to do the job.
An incident between the local farmers’ security group and a group of truck drivers turned violent and since the case is still under investigation, the parties involved did not want to elaborate on the incident.
The Standerton Advertiser managed to retrieve comment from Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, communications manager of the municipality, on the main road pertaining to an article more than a year ago.
Ms Mtshiselwa then said the road referred to belongs to Sanral and the Provincial Department of Roads and Transport.
She also said the municipality had engaged the department concerning the matter and options of tapping into a coal haulage grant have been identified.
According to her, they could not commit on the time-frame for repairs as this is not their road, but they will keep on engaging with the departments involved.
She also referred to a meeting with some business people in Morgenzon, particularly the owners at the corner block, that includes the Shell-garage and they agreed on the following:
The municipality will protect the corner with concrete structures and Eskom and other coal mine companies, using the road, will be engaged as a matter of urgency to establish other measures that will rescue the situation.
Mr Tom Joubert, a manager of a transport company, offered his perspective in the previous article and according to him, the fuel levy and licence fee for trucks must be used to maintain proper road conditions.
Mr Joubert said the Department of Roads and Transport had identified the problem, but due to budget constraints, this would receive attention at a later stage.
A WhatsApp-message to Ms Mtshiselwa on 2 May was answered and she confirmed her original comment about who should take ownership of the matter.
