Jeffreys Bay residents are up in arms over the sudden removal, by provincial traffic authorities, of a four-way stop on a busy road passing through the coastal town.
After years of signing petitions and writing letters over their road safety concerns, residents were happy when the Kouga Municipality finally installed the stop on the R102, at the intersection with Jakaranda Street, about two months ago.
However, three weeks later, it was removed.
Residents of Lifestyle Estate said they were dissatisfied with the Eastern Cape traffic authority’s decision to remove the stop signs, which had been installed in front of the estate.
The vice-chair of the complex’s management body, Lukas Delport, said at least 122 residents who had to cross the busy R102 daily believed it was an accident waiting to happen.
“Coming down from Gqeberha to Jeffreys, there are three entrances,” he said.
“One of the entrances is the one here at the Lifestyle Estate.
“Our requests for a four-way stop were made about four years ago due to road safety concerns.
“Every year, it’s the same complaints and requests over and over.
“We have had accidents here and one of our domestic workers was run over here at the beginning of the year.
“There is a speed limit of 60km/h on the R102, but speeds of over 120km/h are regularly measured. Heavy vehicles also use the access route.
“We realise that the R102 is a provincial road, but it runs through a residential area.”
Delport said they were initially informed by a provincial traffic official that the department would consider installing a traffic circle on the road, but that residents would have to foot the bill.
“But that is ridiculous, where have you ever heard such a thing?
“The municipality responded to our requests about two months ago and erected the four-way stop.
“It made such a welcome difference. There was order and it was much appreciated.
“But three weeks later the department removed it. There was immediate chaos when it was removed.”
The R102-Jakaranda Street intersection is used by many Jeffreys Bay residents as an access route to the main road.
The Kouga Municipality, after not getting feedback from the department, saw the urgency and installed the stop signs and road markings.
But out of the blue, and allegedly without communication, heavy vehicles, workers and even an engineer arrived and removed the signs and road markings.
Kouga mayor Hattingh Bornman said he was perturbed by the situation.
“We did erect the stop signs based on an outcry from residents as well as a traffic impact assessment we did, and realised this was a very dangerous intersection,” he said.
“Because it's a provincial road, we wrote to the provincial department to get permission to erect it.
“This was three years ago already, but we haven’t received feedback from them at all.
“It’s a dangerous intersection, so we went ahead with our plans.
“This was seen by the province as illegal. They then removed it.
“We wrote to them again afterward, but have had no response yet.
“We must hold the provincial department liable if there is an accident at this intersection.”
ANC councillor Wayne Petersen said he had reported the installation of the stop street to the provincial transport department.
“It was an illegal stop,” he said.
“They can’t be fuming for vigilante actions and illegal conduct.”
He said the party would deal with the matter at a council meeting on Wednesday.
“I will be dealing with all illegal and irregular actions by these aliens who now wish to lay claim to our land as indigenous residents of Kouga.”
Transport department spokesperson Unathi Binqose said: “Provincial roads generally don’t require a four-way stop.
“The municipality seems to have moved in and installed the four-way stop without consulting us.
“This was an illegal act. If there is an appetite for a four-way stop, proper channels should be followed, and then we can discuss it and see if we agree.”
HeraldLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.