GEORGE NEWS - Concerns are escalating over safety at the busy intersection near the Garden Route Mall and Kraaibosch Manor, where frequent serious accidents, some of them fatal, have left residents and motorists asking authorities for urgent intervention.
This follows three recent incidents here within days of each other.
However, the George Municipality has confirmed no new upgrades to the traffic signals are currently planned for the intersection, despite growing public pressure and a noticeable spike in accidents.
According to members of the public and regular road users, the incidents occur far too frequently, in some cases on a weekly or even daily basis.
The residents of a nearby housing estate have also raised concerns, deeming the intersection dangerous and calling for measures to improve safety before more lives are lost.
A number of these townspeople have fallen victim to accidents at the intersection leading from the N2 into Providence Drive.
A key issue the motorists travelling from Wilderness highlight is the poor visibility when turning right into Providence Drive, the road that goes to Kraaibosch Manor and/or Kraaibosch Shell from the N2.
Several motorists say a blind spot makes it difficult to see oncoming traffic from the CBD, and that you can't always see approaching vehicles until you are already halfway into the lanes of oncoming traffic.
The turn is widely regarded as challenging and is believed to be one of the main contributors to serious accidents at what has now become an infamous intersection.
A proposed solution is the introduction of a dedicated right-turn arrow for traffic travelling from Wilderness, similar to the existing arrow for motorists turning into the mall from the opposite direction.
In response to an enquiry, George Municipality said its Electrotechnical Services Department is currently focused on restoring damaged infrastructure at the intersection, and no upgrades are planned for the near future.
The George Electrotechnical Services Department is in the process of reinstating all damaged infrastructure, including the cantilever poles on the westbound approach and the Traffic Signal Stubby Cabinet, to ensure that all signal faces remain operational at all times," said the communications manager, Chantèl Edwards.
She added that the municipality will consider possible interventions as part of ongoing maintenance and operational work, and may conduct further investigations through its Civil Engineering Services, subject to budget availability.
In the meantime, road users are urged to exercise caution when approaching the intersection and to adhere to posted speed limits.
The accident in March 2025 in which the six-year-old Faithlin Kleinhans lost her life. Photo: Kristy Kolberg
Another vehicle is transported by a tow truck after an accident at the intersection.‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
