YIELD: City’s new road barriers in Mitchells Plain
After months of waiting, a community in Mitchells Plain say they feel a bit safer after the City of Cape Town built traffic barriers in front of their homes.
Since 2020, Martha Petersen says her home on the corner of Katdoring Road and 6th Avenue has been at risk of cars crashing through her front wall.
Last November, a motorist drove through Martha’s wall after losing control. In May, an alleged dronk firefighter drove through her next-door neighbour Nicolette Cupido’s wall.
“Drivers treat this intersection like a racetrack for whatever reason and they lose control by the circle before they end up either in my house or by my neighbour,” Martha says.
“A few months back so [the City] put up concrete slabs on the corner in front of my house, but now they’re putting in barricades like on the highways.”
In May, the City placed seven 1.5-metre wide concrete slabs in front of the house while construction of the new barricades finished last week.
Mayco member for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, says: “It must be noted that reckless and drunk driving cannot be addressed by road designs, signage or intersection control.
“The measures from the department cannot solve the challenge with driver behaviour which is the cause of accidents at this location.”
Although Martha is pleased to see the City delivering on its promise, she asks whether the the proposed barriers are strong enough to stop a speeding car.
“When the concrete slabs were there, we never had any incidents and when they started to put in the new barriers, so they wanted to take it away but I said they must leave it there.
“I do not know if these new barriers will really work but if it works, then I will gladly say that I was wrong. So many times when I am out then I get scared if my phone rings, because I am worried that it will be a neighbour telling me that somebody drove through my wall again.”
Quintas adds: “Reckless driving is a law enforcement issue ... That said, the barricades are intended to safeguard pedestrians utilising the verge.”
junior.bester@inl.co.za
Related Topics: