RESIDENTS are being urged to step up and sign a petition against logistics trucks passing through and parking in residential areas.
The petition, which is being run on various councillors’ Facebook pages, is aimed particularly at residents in Umbilo and surrounds who say they have had enough of the ‘carnage and harassment’ caused by trucks travelling on residential roads. The petition claims that residents are victims of the failure of the city to enforce by-laws and failure by government to sufficiently plan for the expansion of the harbour. The petition demands that action be taken to implement a lasting solution to the inefficiency and lack of capacity at the Durban harbour.
The petition was spearheaded by Ward 66 (Bluff and Wentworth) councillor, JP Prinsloo, who is also the DA Whip of the Economic Development and Planning Committee. With the issue of trucks in his and other local wards, including Umbilo, the petition was formed to put an end to trucks using roads, blocking roads, damaging infrastructure and adding to the increased aging of roads, as well as litter associated with drivers of the heavy vehicles.
A meeting was called with city officials in September to discuss and address the issue and the challenges it presented. Action points were identified and a task team with councillors and communities of wards surrounding the harbour was established to ensure action by all tiers of local, provincial and national government was taken.
“Communities such as Clairwood, Umbilo, Rossburgh, Seaview, Montclair, Bellair, Austerville, Merewent and Merebank have joined us in this fight as they are facing the same issues currently experienced on the Bluff. The petition is being circulated in these communities, and will be handed over to the speaker of council, the City Manager and the Mayor of eThekwini,” said Prinsloo.
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He said various motions and questions will be submitted at this month’s council sitting to increase the capacity of the Clairwood trucking unit, the South Central Metro Police unit, road infrastructure and to increase the enforcement of city by-laws. Democratic Alliance provincial legislature representatives have written to the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs and the Head of the Department for KZN Transport, and there will be engagement with national government to apply pressure on Transnet and Portnet to implement harbour expansion plans and improve port productivity.
“We will engage with the city’s Legal Department and the National Prosecuting Authority to reassess how fines are issued and prosecuted with the goal to increase the value of fines issued to illegal trucking and request urgent finalisation of a heavy vehicle towing contract,” he said.
Councillor Mmabatho Tembe said she had requested signage be erected around Hillier and Teignmouth Roads in Umbilo, which well-known spots for truck drivers to stop off, but this had been declined by eThekwini Transport Authority.
“I hope the petition and input from our colleagues on a provincial level along with coordinated meetings with stakeholders to try deal with this multi-faceted issue will bear fruit. I also hope, with this petition going to the mayor and city manager, along with questions submitted to council, will assist in getting to the bottom of what is going to be done about the trucks in residential areas,” she said.
Sign the petition online on Facebook: Councillor Mmabatho Tembe or at https://bit.ly/33T7NVQ.
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