Macassar police is pleading with all road users to adhere to road rules following two accidents in the policing precinct earlier this month.
One of the incidents claimed the life of a male pedestrian along the N2 highway, direction Somerset West, on Saturday 2 November.
Upon enquiry, Muneera Allie, spokesperson for the provincial mobility department, said the accident occurred near a service station at 18:10. It is believed that the deceased was crossing the road when he was struck by a vehicle.
“Two vehicles were involved in the collision. One fatality, a pedestrian, can be confirmed,” Allie said.
“[The relevant emergency] teams responded to the scene and closed two lanes to attend to the injured [occupants] and the recovery of the vehicles. The road was fully re-opened once the scene was cleared. An investigation into the incident is underway.”
Meanwhile, five people sustained slight injuries in a different accident near the Baden Powell Drive turn-off, direction Cape Town, on the N2 just after 05:00 on Sunday 3 November.
Kevin Jacobs, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s traffic service, said: “One motorist lost control of the vehicle, which left the roadway. Five people sustained slight injuries.”
Following these accidents and a number of culpable homicide cases registered at Macassar Police Station over the last three months, local police are calling on extra vigilance from motorists and other road users, especially as the busy festive season approaches.
Warrant Officer Desiré Adendolf, spokesperson for Macassar police, said these accidents mostly occur over weekends as well as between 05:00 and 06:00 on weekdays, when people are on their way to work.
“We are concerned that employers are dropping off their workers on the N2 and expecting them to cross a national road,” said Adendolf.
This is a violation of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996, which states that pedestrians are not allowed to walk on or cross freeways. However there are no road signs prohibiting these actions on this particular stretch of the highway.
There are two roads granting access from the N2 to Macassar. “Macassar also does not have a pedestrian bridge,” Adendolf added.
Over weekends, motorists driving under the influence of alcohol remain one of the main causes of accidents in the precinct, the spokesperson said, urging motorists to refrain from getting behind the wheel intoxicated. She also pleaded with pedestrians and motorists offloading passengers on the N2 to find safer alternatives for crossing.
