Missing stop signs in Standerton causes collisions

Another collision in Meyerville left motorists distraught and questioning the safety of our roads. On November 21, video footage caught a motorist in a Toyota stopping at the stop street on Stefina Street. As the motorist crossed the road, an Audi rammed it from the side.

On the scene, it was noted that though the intersection is supposed to be a four-way stop, the side the Audi approached from did not have the appropriate signage.

This is not the first instance of missing signage causing accidents in Meyerville. About four months ago, a similar accident occurred. According to Standerton resident Zander Zwart, the road had no indications or signage.

“I am not a Meyerville resident, so I do not often drive the roads. Due to the lack of signs, I did not know it was intended to be a stop,” said Zwart.

Residents are extremely concerned about the state of the roads. A recent poll found that 84.8% of Ward 4 residents’ biggest concerns are unsafe drivers and that the blatant lack of law enforcement on our roads contributes to the headache motorists face daily.

Liesl Esterhuizen is a concerned mother in the community.

“Meyerville has many missing stop streets, and drivers just don’t follow road rules anymore,” she stated.

According to her, her eldest daughter walks to her maths tutor. Her other children frequently cross the road to visit their grandparents as well.

“It is a big concern for me as a parent. I fear the day that one of them might get hit by a moving vehicle,” she said.

She is concerned about the new four-way stop at the intersection of Mulder Street and Dr Nelson Mandela Drive.

“I have narrowly escaped many accidents at the intersection because motorists do not stop at the stop street,” she added.

Esterhuizen concluded that many traffic lights in the CBD area do not work, and motorists do not follow the law of the road in these instances.

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According to Ward 4 Clr Corné Stoltz, the traffic department is responsible for motorists’ inappropriate behaviour.

“Action is rarely taken to fine unsafe drivers,” he said.

Keeping track of the stop streets in the area is difficult, especially with theft playing such a large role. Stoltz said he had seen teenagers try to steal signs. Criminals often steal the traffic signs to sell for scrap metal.

“Through everything, we have to be able to stand together as a community and fight for what’s right,” he added.

Stoltz explained that it is the community’s responsibility to tackle and report wrongdoings.

“It starts with respect for yourself and others. If you do not respect yourself, you will not respect others. This is paired with reckless endangerment, petty theft and much more,” concluded Stoltz.

The Lekwa Local Municipality was given ample time to respond to the matter but had not replied at the time of going to print.