Louwrens Selzer, Mann Street, George:
I have been in contact with the municipality for some months, requesting speed humps for Mann Street to address speeding by motorists and motorcycles, but nothing is being done.
Many road users also ignore the stop streets.
People park on pavements because of the speeding vehicles and pedestrians therefore are often forced to walk in the road. There seems to be no reason why Mann Street cannot have speed humps as it is not on a Go George bus route.
Jannie Koegelenberg, director of Civil Engineering Services Department, responds:
The George Municipality acknowledges the concerns raised by Mr Louwrens Selzer regarding traffic and pedestrian safety in Mann Street.
The Civil Engineering Services Department has engaged with Mr Selzer on multiple occasions and provided a detailed written response in May 2023 (reference: Mann Str_250523).
The response explained that Mann Street does not meet the required criteria for the installation of speed humps, as outlined in national regulations and best practices for traffic calming measures.
The primary issue stems from driver behaviour, which is a matter of social responsibility and law enforcement rather than a technical solution. Speed humps are not always the appropriate remedy, as they can create additional challenges when implemented in areas that do not meet the necessary warrants.
Mann Street is classified as a Class 5: Residential Access Road, designed for light traffic and non-vehicle-related activities such as walking, running, and cycling. Its layout - with short distances between intersections and numerous driveway entrances - makes it unsuitable for speed hump installation. Furthermore, according to the National Road Traffic Act, Regulation 319, any object placed on a public road that may endanger or damage traffic places liability on the municipality. This includes speed humps that could potentially cause damage to vehicles adhering to the speed limit.
The municipality encourages residents to report incidents of speeding and reckless driving to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for targeted enforcement in the area.
We remain committed to balancing road safety and accessibility in line with national standards and regulations.
The Law Enforcement officer can be contacted on 044 801 6350 (07:45 to 16:30) and 044 801 6300 after hours.
