Collaborative efforts between the Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) and local business chambers, police forums and farming organisations aim to improve safety and by-law compliance in Komatipoort, Hectorspruit and Malalane.
These stakeholders held a meeting at the NLM’s mayoral boardroom on July 10 to discuss integrated and co-ordinated action by all relevant municipal departments. Representing the community were the Komatipoort Business Chamber (KBC), the Malalane and Hectorspruit business chambers (MBC and HBC), Komatipoort and Malalane community policing forums and farming groups.
“The focus of the meeting was to gain a clear understanding of the situation in each town and how NLM can ensure co-ordinated protection and management of land use, safety and infrastructure, ensuring that proper land use rights are established before land is allocated, and that these processes are transparent and open to public participation,” said the KBC’s chairperson, Jan Engelbrecht.
Municipal administrators visited Komatipoort on July 18, with similar visits planned for Malalane and Hectorspruit.
“These visits aim to assess the challenges of side-tipper traffic within the towns, including land use, safety risks and by-law compliance. All parties acknowledge that a co-ordinated approach between the municipality and community structures is essential to achieve a safe and conducive environment,” said NLM’s spokesperson, Cyril Ripinga.
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“Businesses are welcome to invest in all the Nkomazi towns, but they must comply with municipal regulations and established public participation processes. Side-tipper trucks cannot, without reserve, be permitted in towns due to safety concerns and infrastructure limitations. They must – without exception – utilise the National Logistics Crisis Committee’s [NLCC] recommended N4 single-file queuing system until reaching the border post. A holding facility for customs and excise processing is envisioned as a long-term solution. Until then and even after that has been established, this application is imperative,” he added. According to him, the draft traffic by-laws will be available for public comment soon.
Engelbrecht has urged the municipality to accept the civil organisations’ suggestion to focus enforcement efforts on critical issues like illegal dumping, noise pollution and unauthorised trading. He further expressed his appreciation for the municipality’s commitment to public engagement and service.
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“We acknowledge the significant efforts of all community organisations, including those leaders of these organisations involved in provincial and national advocacy. We therefore emphasise that success depends on integrated and co-ordinated efforts. The community organisations advocate for a joint operational command at the national level to manage safety and traffic flow on the N4.”
