Clive Hatch Writes:
Firstly Mr van Vuuren should be commended for supporting the initiative of the public to report matters to where traffic can be assisted. I do however take exception to his inference that my report was “within the parameters of finding fault with the municipality”. Mr van Vuuren should remember that in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Clause 156 (1) (a) red in conjunction with Schedule 5 part B “A municipality has executive authority in respect of, and has the right to administer the local matters listed in Part B of Schedule 5. Schedule 5 includes ‘Traffic and Parking’”
Safe roads are therefore not a nice to have but also a constitutional imperative. This cannot be highlighted more than with the carnage on South African roads over the last weekend. Even the President has called for safer roads.
If eMalahleni does not have sufficient traffic officials may I suggest that more be hired rather than waste money on a “lavish” inauguration for the Mayor who only has a one year term of office?
I share Mr van Vuuren’s concern about speeding in the suburbs. He should however cast his mind back to a ward committee meeting, at which he was present, early last year when I raised the issue of speeding in Nita Street. Eighteen months later it is still as bad and not a traffic official has been seen. In fact the last time a traffic official was in the street was in 2002 when Ms Glory Dlamini was the Mayor!
If he is so concerned about speeding in the suburbs the traffic officials should stop trapping on the N4 and go into the suburbs. The provincial traffic officials should enforce the road regulations on the N4.
As to Mr van Vuuren’s insinuation that it is not only taxis that concern him, I submit that they are the main culprits. On Saturday August 29 between the Plumer Street and Mandela Drive intersection and the Nita Street/Mandela drive intersection between 13:45 and 14:00 hours I witnessed no fewer than eight violations of road traffic regulations, seven of them by taxis. Unfortunately I was unable to record all the registration numbers or the get photographs of the incidents.
On Sunday August 30 along the same route while on my way home from church between 11:25 and 11:45 I witnessed three traffic violations. Again I was unable to record all the registration numbers or the get photographs of the incidents.
Anybody who rides down Mandela Drive or any other main thoroughfare will see the same offenses committed in the same places time and time again. Unfortunately there is seldom a traffic official to be seen, as many citizens now believe the taxi drivers are a protected species.
Traffic officials do a good job at the Mandela Drive N4 intersections at peak hours but they are needed at other hot points, rather than the N4, during the day.
Other violations that I saw were taxis stopping at the Northey Street intersection, outside the hospital and at the first entrance into Saveways Crescent. These are all no stopping zones.
The favourite offence is stopping for passengers to disembark at the third Saveways entrance, less than 20 meters from an authorised stopping area.
