Emotions overflow as deadly bridge on R37 is discussed

The principal of Marifaan Primary School, Kedibone Lusenga, was overwhelmed with emotion when he spoke about a Grade Two who had died while crossing the bridge over the R37 near Skhila on Monday June 13.

This bridge is just 5km from the Lydenburg/Ohrigstad T-junction on the R37 (Burgersfort/Lydenburg Road). The Lydenburg Provincial Traffic Department, communities of Boomplaats, Mosterthoek, Frischgewaagd and landowners discussed the destruction of the D2571 and unsafe conditions when crossing the bridge over the R37, as well as the state of the road.

The meeting was held at Kromklip Venue on Friday July 8. It was organised by Emelda Mhlongo, Lydenburg Provincial Traffic Chief and Emma Düring, a representative of the greater D2571 communities.

“The traffic is crazy in the morning and the safety of our learners is one of my concerns. We have written to the Department of Education and asked for help to improve road safety and regulate traffic, especially early in the mornings. We have not received feedback on these requests,” said Lusenga.

Mojalefa Tsotetsi, the director of transport at the Department of Public Works (DPW) and Raisibe Thwale, the chief transport inspector of the DPW, and colleagues from their departments in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality and Mbombela, were able to address the challenges presented at the meeting.

Loti Mabuza of the provincial roads law enforcement department was one of the invited guests who said they could clearly see why the community said the road was unsafe. Other attendees included landowners, traffic law enforcement, Sanral, Sonja Boshoff, DA member of parliament, and members of the Skhila community.

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Many residents along the road are business owners. These businesses are adversely affected by the appalling condition, including bookings being cancelled at guest lodges and vehicle damage. The main points on the agenda were the destruction of the D2571 by mainly heavy vehicles and unsafe conditions when crossing the bridge over the R37, as well as the state of the provincial and national roads.

“Heavy chrome ore carriers and other heavy vehicles are utilising the D2571. But vehicles using it are not allowed to exceed the 12t weight limit. We are delighted that a 2020 high court ruling prohibits heavy vehicles from driving through Lydenburg. We also don’t want to see the town destroyed,” said Düring.

She agreed that heavy chrome ore carriers are vital to the economy of South Africa, but not at the expense of other sectors. I want to thank the delegation of Sanral, the provincial and Thaba Chweu Traffic Department, the DPW in Lydenburg, Boshoff and Ehlanzeni Traffic that attended the meeting. The landowners and community members made a worthwhile contribution to a continued discussion about this issue. It is clear that our colleagues in Mbombela were not acutely aware of how urgent the matter is. They promised to take it to the highest authority and provide feedback within a month,” said Düring.

“Trucks use the R555 (Steelpoort/ Burgersfort Road) and R36 (Badfontein Road) to and from the Limpopo mines and harbours in the past. People sleep with dust masks on at night and some of them have to constantly use oxygen tanks,” said engineer Gerhard Terblanche in his capacity as a landowner.

Boshoff gave a synopsis of the provincial budget for roads. She indicated that the D2571 was indeed on the provincial budget for upgrading and that work will commence in May 2023. Boshoff vowed to take the matter up with her counterpart in the Legislature who serves on public works, infrastructure, roads and transport. She will keep a close eye on this project to ensure that it does indeed see the light of day. Boshoff has also undertaken to write to her counterpart who serves on the education portfolio to discuss the matter with regard to learners who walk more than 5km to school. She wants to see what can be done to have a bus route established in this section of the road, to eradicate the possibility of having another child lose his/her life due to having to cross a dangerous section of the R37 to get to school. The national norm of the Department of Basic Education is that learners who walk more than 5km may become eligible for transport. Boshoff said children are our future and every possible avenue must be sought to give them a safe and secure environment.