Farmers in the area who are often using the R35 road between Bethal and Morgenzon, are concerned about how truck drivers are posing a danger to them with their reckless driving.
“I have dash cams on both my vehicles and every day I see how these drivers drive,” said Hennie Bekker, one of the farmers and district coordinator of AfriForum in the Highveld, who lives in the area and drives this road daily.
“They overtake other trucks on a double solid line, even at night they drive like that.”
Bekker called the companies for which these reckless truck drivers are working. Some have apologised and said they would take it up with the drivers. Several of the trucks do not have fleet numbers and thus no contact details.
“I want the owners of these trucks or the companies where they are from to take responsibility for their drivers, they drive on that road at full speed and are a danger to other motorists.”
One of the truck drivers got an R10 000 fine from the company he was working for as a contractor after Bekker called the company and lodged a complaint.
Farmers are now rather taking other routes to and from Bethal and Morgenzon to get to their farms because they want to avoid the danger on the R35 road.
“Now we have to take longer routes because we are not feeling safe on this road.”
The Ridge Times contacted the provincial Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison’s spokesman, Moeti Mmusi, and asked him for comment but he did not reply at the time of going to print.
