Provincial Roads Department intervenes with ‘speed humps’

The Gauteng roads department had to step in to remove dangerous, illegal “speed humps” near Welverdiend this week.

Several motorists driving between Carletonville and Welverdiend complained after the “speed humps” were erected on the main road from Carletonville, just before Welverdiend, on Thursday, 29 February.

The municipal contractor set up the humps when working adjacent to the road.

The “humps”, comprising pieces of conveyor belt, tied together with wire, shook vehicles much more violently than regular speed humps, even when slowing down drastically. Many motorists were concerned that the wires would cut their tyres and opted to take other routes instead. It did not help that there were no signs warning motorists of the humps in advance. The only indication they had was workers waving red flags next to the road. However, they were standing so close to the humps that the drivers had no time to slow down. If someone should make an accident because of one of the humps, they could also end up in the deep ditch the contractors dug next to the road.

The Herald contacted the provincial roads authorities on Friday, as the road does not fall under the jurisdiction of the municipality. The publication also sent photos to the regional manager of the Department of Roads and Transport in Krugersdorp, Ms Bulelwa Thomas.

An official from the Gauteng roads department, Mr Jacob Nxumalo, inspected the structures on Monday.

“I told the contractor they could not put those things on the road as they were illegal. We agreed to them erecting temporary speed humps they could remove at night when they were not working so they would not be stolen,” Nxumalo responded.

“The project is the construction of Fever Tree Street and its intersection with Station Road. The construction of the intersection has a 900mm deep
excavation for new layer works directly against Station Road. This created a
dangerous drop off which when added to the high speed of vehicles using
Station Road necessitated additional traffic calming measures to reinforce the speed restriction in this area. The project management team consisting of the municipality, the consulting engineers, the contractor and the road authority took the decision to install the temporary speed humps to ensure speed compliance and avoid accidents and injuries. The devices are temporary and will be removed by end May 2024 when they will be replaced by raised pedestrian crossings,” says Merafong’s marketing and communications manager, Mr Temba Fezani.