Road closure argument carries on

In June, ward 20 councillor, Clr Michele Clarke, said that she will investigate the complaints that this closure was putting lives at risk.
This followed a complaint from a businesswoman who said that after a recent visit to the area, she tried several times to get out but the gate kept on closing before she could drive out.
She said that every time it closed, she had to go to the house she had visited and ask them to open the gate for her but it would close before she drove out.
The businesswoman said that after several residents declined to open the gate for her, one resident did open it for her.
In the same article, Clr Clarke said that there should be a way that visitors can talk to someone while they are at the gate so that they could open it for them.
There must be a 24-hour accessibility point at all road closures, for example, either there should be a guard that operates a boom or if an electrical gate is utilised, there must be a 24-hour intercom system. The concerning issue is if the Emergency Services have to access this area they will not be able to do so and lives can be lost, she said.
EMPD spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago, said before the meeting Ekurhuleni had issued an order to its roads department to re-open Angus Road. He emphasised that the closure in Angus Road is illegal.
The illegal road closure in Angus Road has been a big issue since 2004. The persons responsible for this illegal road closure have been requested, on numerous occasions, to comply with council policy in this regard but have failed to do so, said Chief Supt Kgasago.
He said visitors and emergency personnel have problems entering the street in case of an emergency.
As council, we do not wish to find ourselves facing litigation due to such blatant disregard for council policy governing road closures. Council has now had enough of the delaying tactics used and will, as soon as resources are available, remove the illegal gate, Chief Supt Kgasago said.
He said that in the meeting the residents representatives were ordered to do an assessment impact study.
A commitment was made by the residents that the feedback from their engineers with regard to a Traffic Impact Study Report will be submitted to council. EMM Legal and Corporate Department officials advised the committee that should it not adhere to the commitments, they will be compelled to advise the roads department to remove the gate at their cost, Chief Supt Kgasago said.
Chairman of the Angus Road Closure, Mr Gavin Henry, said that residents will abide by councils rules but will not remove the road closure.
We met EMM and consensus was reached whereby our gate is not to be removed. We, the residents, have undertaken to comply fully with the council requirements as our security and the security of our children are not negotiable. EMM has, based on our commitment, undertaken not to remove the gate as it too, understands the implications of this for us, Mr Henry said.