The Democratic Alliance (DA) in eThekwini has written to the City Manager, Musa Mbhele, and the speaker Thabani Nyawose to request an urgent response on speed calming measures to be considered on the deadly Chatsworth Main Road.
This follows the tragic accident which happened on Friday 11 August 2023 and took the lives of three young children who were walking to school.
A rollback tow truck lost control and crashed into four children. Two passed away on site and the other two were taken to hospital. Sadly, one child passed away in hospital. Our thoughts are with the families of the three children and the truck driver.
Although the cause of the accident has still not been determined, we must ask if this tragedy could have been avoided.
Not only have the DA Ward Councillors who represent the affected communities been requesting speed calming on this road for years, this call has fallen on deaf ears.
This area along with numerous others throughout the city is experiencing a high number of accidents. It is evident that with the city not conducting any speed calming operations for approximately four (4) years and the critical shortage of Metro police officers along with the absence of a head of the Metro police unit road traffic legislation is not suitably enforced. Could this tragedy, along with many others that take place almost daily, have been avoided?
The DA has asked for urgent intervention by the City Manager to prioritize and give a timeline on when the municipality will conduct an urgent assessment on Chatsworth Main Road to determine the requirements for speed calming measures.
We further call for the appointment of a Unit Head to Metro police and the increase of the number of Metro police members at a faster rate than what is being done.
The DA will continue to fight until the eThekwini ANC and EFF government prioritizes the needs of the residents and ensure safe environments for all, especially children.
