There seems to be no immediate plan to build working traffic lights along one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s most dangerous stretches of road — the R75.
Councillors were told at an economic development, tourism and agriculture committee meeting on Friday that repairing the traffic lights linking Kariega, Despatch and Gqeberha was the municipality’s responsibility.
However, councillors were adamant that the responsibility rested with the South African National Roads Agency, which is responsible for the road but not the traffic lights.
Presenting to the city’s economic development, tourism and agriculture committee on Friday, Sanral southern region project manager Craig Hendricks said a budget of R50m had been set aside for maintenance.
The contract is to take care of the N2, the R335 and portions of the R75.
“This is for normal maintenance measures, road signs, cutting of the grass and all of that.”
Also included were guardrails on the R75.
The scope of work includes repairing slope failures, cleaning drains, as well as clearing bridges and refuse, including vegetation maintenance.
The R75 has been plagued by fatal vehicle accidents since April 2024, prompting the city to take action on the Sanral-managed road.
While motorists’ driving behaviour has been blamed as one of the leading causes of accidents, all traffic lights on the R75 between Gqeberha and Kariega, which cuts across various communities, are not working.
Stop signs have been painted on all the intersections between KwaDwesi Extension and the New Brighton and Young Park intersection as a deterrent.
DA councillor Masixole Zinto questioned when street lights and traffic lights would be fixed.
“It’s your road, but you’re not fixing it,” Zinto told Sanral.
ANC councillor Sicelo Mleve said he was extremely concerned about the lack of guardrails.
“There’s no grass-cutting, and there’s also an issue of SMMEs using foreigners in these projects.
“What’s expected of Sanral is to create jobs for the employment of our people, but what’s currently happening is wrong.”
Zinto said it was the road agency’s jurisdiction to fix the N2 and R75.
“Those are regional and national roads. Why should we fix them?”
During his presentation, Hendricks said several Sanral projects in the metro had been hampered by tensions within local business forums, heightened community expectations, demands from local SMMEs and theft of guardrails.
He said some communities were demanding inflated compensation for land acquired for road construction, while others claimed to have graves in or near the road reserve and sought payment for the relocation of the “soul or spirit”.
Ward 56 ANC councillor Lubabalo Ludwabe questioned what the agency was doing to protect its project managers, especially after the kidnapping of one along the Motherwell, Addo road construction project.
In June, construction manager Victor Ngcobo was kidnapped on the R355 road in Motherwell and later recovered unharmed.
The project is valued at R874m, and includes the construction of a dual carriageway, widening of traffic lanes and replacing existing bridges.
“My only concern is security. A project manager was kidnapped on the project. What are your security plans?” Ludwabe said.
Hendricks said security concerns and risks along Addo Road were not isolated to the area but had been challenges on all Sanral projects.
“We’re in constant communication with the SAPS, and we’ve pleaded with communities to let us know of any extortion threats,” Hendricks said.
The Herald
