Community in despair
Pongola - Siyabonga Zwane, 22, was among scores of residents in the eMakhalathini area in Pongola who were on the scene where a tipper truck crashed into a stationary bakkie that was ferrying schoolchildren home last Friday.
Zwane has been unable to sleep, having flashbacks of the scene where 20 young people lost their lives. “It was terrible, what I saw here was so, so terrible. The most painful part was that children were under the truck. I haven’t been able to sleep, thinking about those children,” he said.
The victims included the driver of the bakkie, Sphephelo Nkonyane, 19, and student teacher Zandile Mkhize, 28, who was pregnant. A report by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula found that the driver of the truck, Sibusiso Siyaya, 28, had been travelling in the oncoming lane for approximately 1.2km when he crashed into the bakkie and its occupants.
Zwane said that although the incident had placed a spotlight on the trucking issues in the area, he said their plight was not a new one.
“This road is not safe, not just because of the accident. I was worried from before it happened. Each and every week there is an accident involving trucks. I wish the government would make a plan, especially when it comes to tipper trucks. If trucks stop carrying coal and it moves to rail, it will be good. We don’t want all trucks to be banned, because they contribute to our livelihoods, but some need to be banned for safety,” he said.
Traditional leader in the community, Mandla Nkosi, said it would be better if coal was transported by rail instead of trucks. Adrian Chaning-Pearce, a community member, said the strengthening of the Road Traffic Inspectorate and the municipal traffic department, as stated by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula this week, was long overdue, and that it had taken such a tragedy to get this under way.
“Compulsory checks of trucks and deployment of mobile brake testers are also way overdue. Getting errant operators off the road is critical to the success and saving of lives, but it needs policing.
We need to see it (changes) happening in a sustainable manner, not just for the next month,” said Chaning-Pearce. eMakhalathini ward 4 councillor Thembokuhle Ntshangase said he had been engaging with the government together with the community to reduce the carnage caused by trucks.
Ntshangase said: “This is very painful, to see young children dying like that. It is still very painful, and we cannot forget this accident. Each and every day the number of trucks increases in this area. There were 1000 trucks moving around this area but now it’s 5000 a day so you can see that the number has increased.
They (the government) have talked about the visibility of police along the road. That is something that is going to help us to eliminate such accidents.” Bhekinkosi Jacob Twala, acting mayor of Pongola Municipality, who was at the funeral on Friday of three siblings, 5-year-old twins Notando and Minenhle and Thembelihle, 10, said intervention in road safety was a priority. “We are very shocked, and our reaction is to intervene.
Road safety comes first. As of (yesterday), you will see more traffic officers and RTI (Road Traffic Inspectorate) on the road until Sanral (SA National Roads Agency Limited) completes the extension of the road by 2024.
It’s our responsibility as the Pongola Municipality to see to it that law enforcers are visible, and roadblocks on our roads must be present. “The N2 road passes through the homestead, many people and many cars move up and down,” said Twala.
Simon Zwane, spokesperson for the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), said authorities would work around the clock on the roadway with immediate effect.
“The province will deploy officers on the road to ensure visibility and the national traffic police will assist at intervals because they work 24 hours. There were also military police visible on the road. We’ll maintain visibility. “RTI will also deploy mobile testing centres to test for roadworthiness of trucks. Long-term, we’re looking at having certain loads on trucks moved to rail,” said Zwane
SUNDAY TRIBUNE