Men bust for homegrown speed bumps

Published Oct 1, 2012

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A story from Alexandria, Johannesburg begs the question: Why is it necessary for residents of South Africa's biggest city to take the law (and the picks and shovels) into their own hands when it comes to road safety?

It seems two men were arrested on Sunday in Extension 9, Far East Bank in Alexandria, for digging trenches across a road.

Were they trying to occupy Alexandria? Drain their garden? Or lay their own cable for watching subscription TV?

Actually, none of the above.

The men told metro police they were tired of waiting for the authorities to install speed bumps.

They dug trenches to slow down the traffic through their mostly residential area, where pedestrians - especially children - are constantly at risk from speeding vehicles.

On the one hand it shows an admirable sense of community responsibility and willingness to tackle neighbourhood problems hands-on.

But, as a commentary on the level of service delivered by JMPD, it's pretty blunt, so it's not surprising that metro police spokesman, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, took a dim view.

“The Johannesburg MPD cannot allow members of the community to take the law into their own hands,” he said, “as the digging of trenches results in the extensive damage of the tarred surface.” - Sapa

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