Renewed appeals after R72 tragedy

Letter sent to Sanral 6 months before teenage girl’s death

Four civic organisations from Kenton and Bushman’s River Mouth pleaded in July 2023 for Sanral to urgently address the safety of communities along a dangerous 10km section of the R72 coastal road that links the seaside towns of the Sunshine Coast.

Six months later, the community is mourning the death of a Kenton teenager who was hit by a car on that section.

The 15-year-old girl was walking on the bridge over the Kariega River around 1.45pm on New Year’s Day when she was hit by a car.

She died on the scene. Police said they were investigating a case of culpable homicide and that the circumstances of the child’s death formed part of the investigation.

Community members have closed around the child’s heartbroken family and friends in a circle of support.

In a letter dated July 21 2023, the Boesmansriviermond Ratepayers’ Organisation, Kenton Ratepayers’ Association, Chamber of Business and the Bushmans and Kariega River Estuary Care Management Forum asked the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) for urgent action to address the high-risk traffic situation on that section of the R72.

The letter, headed ‘Urgent traffic calming measures requested R72 Ndlambe ward 3 & 4’ is addressed to senior Sanral officials. It asks them to address “the high-risk traffic situation between Kenton Eco Estate and the Boknes/ Cannon Rocks turn-off.

The letter, signed by the chair of the Bushmans River Ratepayers and Residents Association Lötter Wepener, says: “Numerous requests and expression of concern were received with regard to the impact of the increasing traffic volume on the route, the lack of sufficient traffic calming measures with resulting negative impact on the community and visitors to the area.”

Traffic on the R72 had shown significant increase over the past years, Wepener wrote on behalf of the four organisations. “Increased development is taking place in the ward 3 &4 area, with significantly greater population and economic activity.

“An additional 500 houses will be constructed at Marselle, which will lead to more vehicle and pedestrian traffic. High accident rates are recorded on the R72 servicing ward 3 &4, resulting in several fatalities.”