An open letter to the Hon MEC: Public Works, Roads and Transport

“I write this open letter to you to express my frustration at the congestion of trucks between the Sabie and Lydenburg road.  I would like to bring it to you that over the past weekend I personally experienced two major incidents or rather life threatening accidents.

I plead with your office to assess the situation and provide adequate remedy to either redirect the trucks to another route, as the lives of many innocent road user are at risk.  Honourable MEC please take note that I am not blaming your office for the horrific accidents or incidents between Sabie and Lydenburg, however I firmly believe that your intervention can assist the situation in calming the traffic and therefore ultimately sparing the lives of people.

The road between Sabie and Lydenburg has become such a race track where truck drivers are on a mission to get to the destination quicker at the expense of other road users, making U-turns and not to mention the damage to the road that has emanated from the heavy loads.

Honourable MEC, we have Dads, Mothers, Uncles, Sisters and Brothers who travel to and from Lydenburg to other towns on a daily basis for different reasons including work, business and pleasure.  It has become such a horrific experience to drive between the two towns especially in misty conditions, which are very much prevalent on that road.

Thaba chweu Local Municipality depends on the Panorama route which launches in Lydenburg, and the road between Sabie and Lydenburg is a major gate way to the other major destination of the Panorama, however the rate of accidents that take place on the road will eventually render the road a high accident zone, Honourable MEC we cannot affor as a Municipality to lose a single cent that we receive from this Route, due to Tourists redirecting their time and pleasure in other destinations.

The bill of rights in the RSA says “Everyone has the right to freedom and security of the person” derived from chapter 2 of the bill of rights.  However Honourable MEC, we do not feel safe and secured at all on that particular stretch of the road between Sabie and Lydenburg, please take the onus upon yourself to help address the situation before more lives are lost.

The President of the RSA during the state of the national address requested that all Patrons and Individuals in the RSA should assume responsibility and be servants in their own rights, I took it upon myself to say “Thuma Mina” (send me) to personally deliver this message to the MEC, and be the voice of those that cannot share the message, I have taken the onus upon myself MEC, I have decided not to seat back and watch, I have decided to share my frustration, I have decided not to pose blame, I have decided to make positive contribution, I have decided to be amongst those who refuse to say our government is useless, because as residents of the RSA, we are the Government of the RSA one way or the other.  Former President John F Kennedy once said ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask yourself what you can do for your country” and today I sand with those who share the same sentiments, I sign the petition of spreading love peace and prosperity and the biggest of them all being SAFETY, I stand with those who stand for a good course, I unequivocally stand with those who say “Thuma Mina” I hope that this small letter of mine to such a big institution like yourself honourable MEC will make an impact, moreover to the safety of our road users in the RSA.”

Yours sincerely

Nkosinathi Wenzel Mashele

(Contact details unpublished for privacy reasons)