Pedestrian’s death sparks protest

Makeshift measures by residents would make the road dangerous

AFTER a car knocked down and killed a pensioner, Philippi residents have closed Sheffield Road, forcing motorists to use alternative routes.

Lindelwa Nonzwana said her mother Nomawethu Dumasile, 62, was hit by an Avanza Toyota on Saturday before the car plunged into three shacks.

On Sunday. Siyahlala informal settlement residents burnt tyres, and dug trenches on the 400m stretch of road, and set alight at least one car.

According to Siseko Mngxunya, whose shack was affected, the Avanza driver tried to run but instead swerved into the shacks after knocking down Dumasile.

Mngxunya said the protest was to prevent cars from using the road until speed humps were erected.

“Cars are speeding on this road… people are not safe. Until such time speed humps are built the people are not going to stop protesting. People are frustrated.

“Losing a pensioner in such circumstances because of reckless driving is not good at all.”

Nonzwana said it was not the first time a car had knocked down her mother on that road. She said that if an ambulance had arrived sooner, Dumasile’s life may have been saved.

“When we arrived there were police but they told us to arrange for transport to take my mother to hospital because an ambulance was taking too long,” she said.

“She was not talking, she was bleeding, her legs broken and her head cut deeply. It was not a good sight to see.”

Nonzwana said the protesters were right to demonstrate to demand speed humps.

“Speed humps prevent motorists from speeding. That road is dangerous and if nothing is done more people will lose their lives,” she said.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said police had no record of Dumasile’s death nor the protest.

Mayco committee member for Area South Eddie Andrews said residents were not allowed to create their own speed humps.

He said the City cannot approve the request for a traffic-calming measure on Sheffield Road, given the arterial nature of the road and its function in the metropolitan road network.

“It is, in fact, dangerous to the community and to innocent drivers,” said Andrews. He said there were “a number of technical and professional assessments that needed to be carried out by professional engineers before a speed hump can be approved and installed”.

Makeshift measures would make the road “very dangerous, placing lives and property at risk”.