JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – Being an ex-pupil of Mondeor High School, I can attest to the nerve-racking challenge of scoring a parking spot in front of the school gates just minutes before the school bell rings in the mornings.
Every afternoon it is the same chaotic scene of double parked cars, forceful taxis and oblivious schoolchildren.
The roads surrounding the school are very narrow when empty but once they’re filled with learners, excited to go home after an exhausting day, it becomes even more frustrating to navigate.
Waiting parents park on either side of the pavement in the mornings and this results in inadequate space for traffic. Taxis park wherever there is space in the afternoons with music blaring and a total disregard for everyone else.
While it may be easy to blame the parents and taxi drivers for the unsafe environment, the learners also need to remember that they’re not invincible. They should be aware of their surroundings and look out for oncoming traffic when crossing the road.
The new implementation of the one way route around the school will hopefully solve the traffic problems, both in the mornings and in the afternoons, creating a safer environment for the learners.
Rughsaar Bibi