Durban - It has been three years since Sanele May lost control of the truck he was driving on Fields Hill that killed 24 people, but it seems not much was learnt from the deadly accident.
Described as one of the most gruesome accidents the country has seen, the collision saw a heavy duty truck crash into four minibus taxis and a car at the Richmond Road intersection in Pinetown, Durban.
Following the accident in September 2013, the Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Department took measures to ensure that this type of incident would never be repeated.
However, a visit to Fields Hills on Thursday revealed that some rules were not obeyed by truck drivers and long term promises by former MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu had not yet materialised.
Mchunu at the time ordered the introduction of new measures to restrict heavy duty trucks using the M13 (Fields Hill)
He had instructed that the following be implemented:
* Reduction of the carrying capacity of trucks using the route from 25 tons to 16 tons;
* Extension of the restriction times from 6.30am-8am to 6am-9am on the eastbound carriageway, from Hillcrest to Pinetown;
* Introduction of the afternoon restriction from 4pm-6.30pm in both directions;
* Beefing up of daily law enforcement by the Road Traffic Inspectorate working with the metro police;
* Electronic surveillance and weight measuring.
For the long term, Mchunu committed to adding an extra lane on the M13 towards Durban, constructing concrete barriers on the route, improving on- and off-ramps, installation of street lights, constructing an arrestor bed and the construction of a pedestrian bridge near the interchange at the bottom of Fields Hill.
During the two hours the Sunday Tribune spent monitoring the M13, from 4pm to 6pm, we found that trucks that were prohibited still used the road. Most did not obey the compulsory stop rule at the top of Fields Hill.
Sixteen heavy duty trucks and one double trailer truck were spotted. There were at least 20 smaller trucks on the road.
In many instances, the truck drivers sped down the M13, which would have made it difficult for them to brake if the need arose.
One truck, clearly not in roadworthy condition, blew off engine emissions and sputtered down Fields Hill.
Spokesman for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Kwanele Ncalane, said Mchunu had tabled a report in the KZN legislature on the progress of long term plans for Fields Hill.
“The department commissioned a feasibility study to look at measures for a safety weigh bridge for example, it’s a process the department has not abandoned, but its a process that will take longer to achieve,” Ncalane said.
He said there was new signage on the M13 and police visibility in the area.
The former chairperson of the Fields Hill committee, a group that lobbied for a total ban of trucks over 5 tons, Hans Bieier, said measures taken by the government on Fields Hill had made a difference, but they were not enough.
He said the committee compromised on the reduction of the carrying capacity of trucks due to legal limitations. The group accepted that carrying capacity of trucks using the route be lowered from 25 tons to 16 tons, despite wanting the limit to be five tons.
“I drive on Fields Hill to and from work, adherence to road rules is good and law enforcement is visible, but the road is terrible for heavy trucks - the bends do not allow you to see around corners,” he said. “An accident can happen any time. The road was simply not built for heavy vehicles.”
The Road Traffic Inspectorate was unavailable for comment.
Sunday Tribune