Warner Beach residents fear road safety

Motorists and residents are frustrated with the condition of Kingsway Road beginning from Warner Beach Prep School to the Winkelspruit Testing Ground.  Several complaints with regards to the loose stones on the road have been noted, with residents claiming that it is a traffic and safety hazard. Warner Beach resident, Chris Landman, 64, who uses the road daily, was irate after his car sustained a crack on the windscreen while travelling.

“I was going north and I picked up a stone on my windscreen from the car in front of me travelling at a high speed. The road works cause motorists to drive on the solid white line and avoiding oncoming traffic as well.  As far as I’m concerned, councillor André Beetge has not done his job. Everybody is complaining about the road and the repairs done to date are so bad that we cannot drive on it. Something needs to be done.  Nothing gets done in the area and it’s not just me who is angry. A new windscreen will cost me around R2 000. It’s not a safe road and it has been in this state for months.”

Residents also claim that they have been left in the dark about what is being done to the road.

According to Beetge, the municipality is installing essential new water infrastructure to the area which without, more and more bursts will occur in the future which will, in turn, leave households deprived of water.

“Given the traffic volume along the main arterial stretch, it is not viable to work during the day, as this would essentially result in extended traffic build-up and delays. Instead, work is being done by shift workers during the night that necessitates opening the trenches, laying pipes, testing and closing again prior to the road being used during the day.”

This process will repeat itself until such time as all piping is laid, tied in with the network and tested where after the road will again be reinstated with asphalt.

“Loose gravel is diligently swept off the travelling surface after each attendance leaving a 2.2m wide usable road which by definition, should accommodate all non-articulated vehicles if engaged cautiously and in line with the clearly compromised road surface.  What is, however, happening is that uncourteous drivers continue to exceed the speed limit or drive in such a manner that they either swerve into loose gravel or cross the centre line, in turn resulting in damage to vehicles behind or traffic on approach in the opposite direction.”

He added that damages caused, would not necessarily result in a successful claim against the municipality, given that negligence would need to be proven, as opposed to the party who failed to abide by the speed limit or to keep to a lane or failed to adapt driving to conform the obviously (temporary) compromised road surface.
Details of damage caused by municipal negligence in regard to this water project in specific can be forwarded to muzi.ngwane@durban.gov.za.

“We appeal to the public for a little more patience, tolerance and courtesy in the interest of better service delivery.”

ALSO READ: Roads and sidewalks left in a deplorable condition [LETTER]

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