GEORGE NEWS - Following a spate of road accidents in the December season on the Hansmoeskraal road between Pacaltsdorp and Gwaiing River mouth, residents of the area want their plea for a safer road to be highlighted once again.
They have been lobbying for improved road conditions for many years, in 2016 even threatening to withhold their rates if the municipality did not take steps to improve law enforcement and the condition of the road.
Nothing has changed since then.
Over the recent Christmas season, it has lived up to its notoriety as a high risk zone that claims lives when two people died in yet another vehicle crash.
Hoping to find a long-term solution, the Hansmoeskraal Forum, a body representing residents in the area, started off the year by forming a task committee that will approach the municipality in an effort to obtain the authority's cooperation.
Forum chairman Jan Oosthuizen said they are fed up with reckless and drunk drivers speeding on the road.
They hope to persuade the municipality to put up speed humps or cement dips. At least 600 vehicles travel along this route daily.
It services about 300 dwellings, excluding the homes at Le Grand. Visitors to the Gwaiing River mouth also use the road.
"The municipality has already done a number of traffic counts and based on that alone, they should tar the road."
Le Grand Estate Manager Johan van der Merwe said there were two separate incidents during the December season when two vehicles ploughed into the boundary wall of the estate as well as a section of the wire fence, causing extensive damage.
Fingers are being pointed at the Traffic Department for inadequate law enforcement.
"Illegal racing also takes place, but the authorities turn a blind eye. Come payday on Friday, you are in a danger zone if you drive on this road.
The condition of the road surface is also hazardous. Not much of the gravel on the surface is left and when it rains, it becomes extremely slippery."
'Budgeting for upgrade'
George Civil Engineering Director Reggie Wesso said the municipality is in the process of budgeting for the upgrading of the road.
"A cost apportionment model will be developed to determine which developer is responsible for what portion of the road, with the remainder of the road being upgraded by George Municipality.
"The tarring of the road is presently a condition of the development of the Le Grand Resort.
"The implementation of the upgrading of the road is dependent on the availability of funding."
Wesso promised that a road sign will be installed at the final three-way stop so that motorists have to reduce speed at the beginning of the gravel surface. Other warning signboards will be erected as well.
Oosthuizen said the Le Grande developer has gone bankrupt and the new owner of the estate cannot be held responsible for tarring the road.
"The municipality failed to force the original developer to tar the road before the first plot transfers took place."
Chairman of the Hansmoeskraal Forum, Jan Oosthuizen.
Traffic department to increase visibility
George Traffic Manager Donovan Saptoe commented, "The road referred to is a gravel road and if a driver does not approach it carefully it can lead to serious accidents.
"In November 2017 a fatal accident occurred on this road when a bakkie overturned and two people lost their lives. In December the traffic department made two drunken driving arrests on this particular road.
"We will increase visibility selectively on the Hansmoeskraal road in an effort to reduce speeding and drinking and driving on this road."
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