ROADWORKER KILLED BY TRUCK AT FISH RIVER BRIDGE STOP-GO
AROADWORKER was killed by a truck at the Fish River Bridge stop-go early on Saturday morning. Details of the accident are sketchy, but readers who alerted TotT said the truck had crashed into the stop-go hut, killing one man and injuring others.
In response to TotT’s queries, Sanral Southern Region manager Mbulelo Peterson said: “Sanral is saddened by the accidental death of a worker contracted to maintain the temporary signs and stop-and-go on the R72 at the Fish River Bridge.
“As the fatality is still under investigation we cannot confirm all of the details at this time.”
Peterson said no site activities or construction had taken place over the weekend due to the contractor having a pay weekend.
“However, the Traffic Safety Officer (TSO) and his team were on duty during this pay weekend to maintain the temporary signs and the stop-and-go.”
The accident follows complaints and warnings about haphazard controls at other stop-go’s during the roadworks on the R72, most recently at the Wesley Hill traffic lights intersection.
And a day after the fatality on the Fish River Bridge, reader Rob Bruce-Brand said: “Sanral have not learnt their lesson,” submitting photos showing how the stop sign and flag man at the Fish River Bridge stop-go are obscured by vehicles.
“[The flag man] is supposed to be about 200m up the road toward Fish River Resort,” he said.
In response to this criticism, Peterson said: “Signs on this project are erected according to the South African Road Traffic Signs Manual (SARTSM) – Roadworks Signing. The signs at the Fish River stop-and-go site on the east as well as the west approaches comply with the requirements with this best practice manual.
“The signs for the stop-and-go start 1000m before the actual closure and ample warning is provided to motorists. The signage on the eastern approach (Fish River Resort) is on a downhill approach and is clearly visible to motorists,” Peterson said.