Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Corize van Rensburg and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng. See attached pictures here, here, and here.
– Fatal accidents expose a growing road safety crisis in Mangaung
– Children are being endangered near schools
– Neglected road infrastructure is worsening risks
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will submit oversight questions, engage with the relevant municipal departments, and continue to advocate for urgent road safety interventions to address the growing crisis on Mangaung’s roads. Recent fatal accidents have once again highlighted the urgent need for improved traffic law enforcement, safer road infrastructure and a coordinated road safety strategy.
I am deeply concerned by the increasing levels of speeding, reckless driving, disregard for traffic laws, and the lack of visible traffic law enforcement on some of the busiest roads in our city. Residents regularly report dangerous driving behaviour along major arterial routes such as Dan Pienaar Drive, General Hertzog Street, Albrecht Street and Deale Road, yet visible traffic enforcement remains largely absent.
The safety of our children is particularly concerning. Every school day, learners, parents and educators are exposed to speeding vehicles near schools and busy intersections. No parent should have to wonder whether their child will safely cross a road on the way to school.
Road safety is not only about driver behaviour. It is also about infrastructure. Across Ward 20 and the broader Mangaung Metro, residents are forced to navigate roads with potholes, faded road markings, damaged or outdated traffic signs, broken guardrails and deteriorating road infrastructure.
Numerous reports have highlighted that poor road conditions, inadequate signage and insufficient traffic law enforcement contribute significantly to unsafe conditions for motorists and pedestrians alike. Mangaung residents continue to face neglected roads for far too long.
The DA believes that every road user has a right to safe, well-maintained roads. We therefore call on Mangaung Metro to:
- Increase visible traffic policing and speed enforcement on major arterial routes.
- Prioritise road safety around schools and pedestrian crossings.
- Conduct an urgent audit of road signs, road markings and traffic calming measures.
- Repair damaged guardrails, road barriers and safety infrastructure.
- Address potholes and deteriorating road surfaces as a matter of urgency.
- Ensure traffic engineers assess high-risk roads and intersections across the metro.
- Develop and publish a comprehensive road safety improvement plan with measurable timelines.
Road fatalities are not merely statistics. Behind every accident is a family whose lives are changed forever.
Preventable deaths on our roads must not become accepted as normal. Mangaung residents deserve safe roads, accountable law enforcement, and a municipality that prioritises public safety over neglect.