By Neo Kolane
The villagers of Holy Cross area in Mohale’s Hoek are deeply perturbed by the increasing number of fatal accident caused by speeding motorists on the Mohale’s Hoek-Quthing road.
Fed up with the increase in deaths caused by speeding motorists, the villagers have resorted to erecting speed humps on the road as a measure to curb rising accidents that have claimed the lives of villagers and livestock.
More than 20 people have died after being knocked down on the road between Holy Cross and Seaka bridge since 2012.
An angry councillor of the area, Tṧeliso Mvelase, joined hands with the schools’ teachers and authorities at the nearby clinic to lay a complaint with the department of roads in Mohale’s Hoek.
Mvelase told theReporter that the community has addressed the situation since 2018 when he became a councillor but up to date no change has been made.
“Cars hit school children. Holy Cross is a little town in its own right; there is a health centre, a church and several schools in the area. There are two school children who died here late last year,” Mvelase said.
The chief of Holy Cross, Relebohile Karabo Lerotholi, cried out for building some speed humps saying the matter required urgent attention in order to curb the rising incidents of motor vehicle accidents that have claimed many lives.
Lerotholi said they wrote to the department of works but they were told to write to the department of roads but have not received any response yet.
He said the residents once tried to block the road to contain the menace of accidents but some soldiers dispersed them while attempting to create speed humps to curb speeding.
“Delays by the authorities to respond are forcing villagers to act on their own. At a later stage, a speed hump was constructed at Holy Cross by the ministry of works in 2006 but up to date it makes no difference because motorists still drive at 180km/hour for a distance of two kilometres from Holy Cross to Moyaneng in Quthing,” he explained.
There is only one speed hump between Holy Cross and Seaka bridge.
“Children and church goers walk on the road on a daily basis due to the many schools surrounding the area.
“I do not think the situation of speed humps is something that will see the light of day,” Lerotholi said.
Lerotholi also mentioned an incident where a police vehicle hit the Holy Cross clinic which ended with killing four people in 2017.
One resident Hlomohang Ramotake was once hit by a speeding vehicle while at the nearby taxi rank. He sustained a serious leg injury and now walks with the assistance of a walking stick. He regretted that the situation has not improved as the lives of the inhabitants are still at risk when crossing the road.
He remembered an incident in which one sheep was hit by a taxi when the animals were crossing the road in Mekaling.
The headman of Ha Malatsa, a village also situated in Holy Cross area, Selepe Molefe, also slammed incidents in which livestock and people are at risk due to speeding motor vehicles.
Their cries, he added, are falling on dearth ears as no action has been taken to remedy the situation.
“We want speed humps from Mekaling to Ha Malatsa,” Molefe said.
The minister of public works Lebohang Monaheng has previously promised speed humps would be built on some roads where motor accidents were frequently occurring. He said the population of people living close to main roads is growing.
He said assessments and research was need to be conducted before such speed humps could be built on main roads.
The public relations manager of Roads Directorate Nozipholo Matela explained that the Roads Directorate is not aware of the recent outcry of the communities in Mohale’s Hoek.
She said there is a speed hump at Holy Cross which requires to be maintained to proper standards. She added there was a need to erect a speed hump signage that has been vandalized on both sides of the road.
She instead advised the villagers in the area to report their complaint to the Roads Directorate that will then conduct a study.
“It is a bit of a balancing act, as speed humps are a road safety hazard and there are other measures that can be deployed to control speed than speed humps. In the first place, businesses and public services are not supposed to be allocated land near or along the road side.
“However, because the place has got busy shops on either side of the road and a post office as well, the place becomes eligible for a speed control measure,” Matela said.
“We are a democratic society where all people have a right to voice their concerns but motorists have a right to be on the road. Communities need to first take responsibility through their local authorities to make their requests known to the directorate.
“In this way related studies and consultations with communities become necessary to undertake since requests will have been made. It is also important to note that with the dwindling funding for road maintenance, curbing speeding can only be built when funding is available,” she said.
Matela also revealed that speed humps are not recommended on a main road as there are other speed control measures that can be undertaken.
