This comes after the recent death of the Grade One learner, Lesego Maleka (7), who was struck by a car on Wit Deep Road, while allegedly crossing the road on her way home.
“It saddens me that, recently, another child has lost her life in this area,” says Coke.
She adds that, as a councillor, she knows that the metro has their reasons for not being able to put speed humps on Wit Deep Road, but she has asked, on a number of occasions, if the EMPD could assist with a pointsman to help children cross this road.
“For me, as a councillor, there are far too many children’s lives in danger with up to two accidents occurring within one week.”
She says that something needs to be done to prevent children from being hurt and killed.
“Main Reef and Wit Deep roads have become death traps, and with winter approaching, meaning it gets darker earlier, more accidents will occur,” says Coke.
She says that when pedestrians try to cross at the traffic light at the corner of Wit Deep and Main Reef roads, they need to watch out for motorists using the slipway as they do not stop there.
“There is a pedestrian crossing along Main Reef Road, but pedestrians cannot cross safely as motorists ignore the crossing.”
She encourages schools in the Witfield area to contact her if a child is hurt or killed while trying to cross roads.
She also has raised her concerns over trucks being allowed onto Main Street.
“I have requested a tonnage sign to be erected so that truck drivers will know they cannot use the road. I was informed that they cannot be fined if there is no sign erected prohibiting them,” Coke adds.
She says that she was told the sign would be erected in December and to date nothing has been put up.
