The horrific state of Nelson Mandela Bay’s R75 route — vandalised, dark and dangerous

A fatal accident on the R75 this past weekend. (Photo: Supplied)

11 Sep 2024

A long, busy stretch of road in Nelson Mandela Bay that links Gqeberha and Kariega has no working streetlights, no working traffic lights and few emergency barriers, despite frequent horror accidents.

Nelson Mandela Bay’s R75 between Gqeberha and Kariega has no working traffic lights, no working streetlights and almost no intact guardrails. A contractor appointed by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) can’t work there because it is unsafe, while communities living on the sides of the road demand work.

It is the site of frequent motor vehicle accidents.

Part of the road is the responsibility of Sanral, which has called for increased collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) and other stakeholders to restore the road to acceptable safety standards.

“Sanral has experienced challenges since the appointment of the routine road maintenance contractor for national roads within the metro, who has had only intermittent site access and has been unable to perform the maintenance required to improve road safety along portions of the network, including the R75,” said Mbulelo Peterson, Sanral’s manager for the Southern Region.

“The contractor was prevented from carrying out its duties by the actions of individuals and groups claiming to be from adjacent municipal wards who demanded to participate in the project.

“As a result, conditions were unsafe for the contractor to carry out the necessary work on the R75 until consensus is reached. Furthermore, the project has experienced incidents of vandalism and theft of the infrastructure, specifically along the R75, for which the replacement rate has become unsustainable.”

The condition of the safety railing on the side of the R75 in Nelson Mandela Bay. (Photo: Supplied)

Peterson was referring to the theft of metal guardrails on the side of the road. In addition, cable theft has left the traffic lights along the entire 30km stretch of road out of order.

“Sanral has over time held several engagements with municipal stakeholders as well as the project liaison committee to find a resolution to the challenges,” said Peterson.

“The Office of the Executive Mayor was also approached to intervene, including during Mr Retief Odendaal’s tenure as the metro’s executive mayor. He was unable to help to resolve the issues. We dispute that Sanral had failed to make any attempts to resolve the challenges around the R75.

“Sanral’s mandate is to build, manage and maintain the national network, so it is unreasonable to expect the roads agency to single-handedly resolve the challenges around the R75 — including theft and vandalism of the road infrastructure, project disruptions and delays, as well as instances of extortion, all of which have negatively impacted the project within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.”

Peterson said Sanral was engaging with the municipality, the SA Police Service, the Nelson Mandela Business Chamber and the local community to work towards a resolution.

Protracted delays

He said “protracted delays” in the appointment of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) owing to “Sanral’s open tender approach versus the municipality’s ward selection-based approach”, had been resolved and a first round of SMMEs had been appointed and had begun work.

Advertisements for the second round of subcontracts will be posted in November.

A freeway management system was under construction to monitor vandalism on the R75 and N2 routes and to improve the safety measures on Sanral’s network, said Peterson.

The condition of the middle island on the R75 in Nelson Mandela Bay. (Photo: Supplied)

He said the traffic lights were a municipal function but he had been informed that the metro would pilot a “hardened traffic signal solution” at a selected intersection along the R75.

“We are hoping this pilot is successful and, depending on available financial provisions, could be extended once the Interim Traffic Monitoring Centre (ITMC) is operational and specific protocols are put in place.

“In discussion with the NMBM, we are considering monitoring some of the identified traffic signals from the ITMC which will include 24/7 CCTV surveillance, infrared and thermal technology, tamper and proximity alarms and the ability to work with law enforcement and private security to respond to suspicious activities.

“On the matter of the recent unfortunate crashes along the R75, the conflict points have generally been the intersections and where poor road-user behaviour is a primary contributor. The general moving infringements and traffic violations must be addressed and prioritised,” said Peterson.

“As government works to find a more permanent solution to the theft of its traffic lights, Sanral will work with the traffic law enforcement to see how we can assist and support.”

‘Passing the buck’

Retief Odendaal, a former Nelson Mandela Bay mayor and now the Democratic Alliance’s spokesperson on cooperative governance in the province, said Sanral had acknowledged that it had encountered procurement problems regarding the rehabilitation of the road.

“Secondly, they have delayed the work, no doubt in the hope that the planned freeway management system would have already been in place,” he said.

A fatal accident on the R75 this past weekend. (Photo: Supplied)

Freeway management systems are in place in Cape Town and Johannesburg. They provide CCTV cameras and other digital safety tools to protect infrastructure.

“Sanral has, therefore, knowingly neglected to maintain this route, thereby putting the lives of Nelson Mandela Bay motorists at risk,” said Odendaal.

“When I personally engaged with Sanral’s regional management in 2022 and 2023, I made it very clear that routine maintenance of the R75, like that of any other national road, is non-negotiable.

“The fact remains that Sanral has done nothing since 2022 to secure and maintain this route. Now, they are passing the buck because the public is demanding answers.

“Although we will work with Sanral to devise solutions to any problems they may encounter in fulfilling their functions, we will not allow them to continue abandoning their responsibility towards their infrastructure and the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay.”

The CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, Denise van Huyssteen, said safety on the R75 between Kariega and Gqeberha had been prioritised by the business community in the area.

She said the main concerns related to the streetlights and traffic lights not working and the guardrails that had been stolen.

“There is no traffic control at intersections where [traffic lights] are not working,” she said.

Van Huyssteen said apart from trucks transporting components for the automotive industry on the road, international visitors to multinational companies also used it frequently.

The municipality had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication. DM

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Protracted delays

‘Passing the buck’