Cape Town – The Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works have confirmed that they are working on a solution to the "road of death" at the Voëlklip lookout point, west of Herolds Bay, with a clamour on social media for a "fast" remedy.
In the latest incident, the body of a man believed to be in his forties was recovered just after noon yesterday after his hired Ford Eco Sport, with a CA registration, had plunged down the cliff at around 8.30am.
This was the fifth fatal incident involving a car to have occurred at the spot since 2015.
George Municipality spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose previously indicated that the property on which the lookout point was located was privately owned and that discussions took place with the owner late last year.
He had he indicated he wanted to implement safety measures at his own cost, which would have ensured that access would be limited to pedestrians only.
However, Edwards-Klose has since clarified that the road leading to the lookout point is an unproclaimed provincial road.
"The Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works are the roads authority and have confirmed that they are working on the solution following discussions with several stakeholders, including the owner of the property," she said.
Die Burger reported that the man had allegedly raced towards a group of people standing at the lookout point, but swerved just in time before plunging down the cliff. After the close call, the group had contacted the police.
Clanja van Eden, among many on social media concerned about the "road of death", posted on Facebook: "So sad ... they must do something fast! A barrier or something. Anything to prevent cars from going off the cliff."
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said: "On arrival, medics found the vehicle some distance down the cliff lying in the waves. Rescue technicians immediately rigged a rope rescue system and made their way to the patient.
"At the bottom of the cliff, rescue personnel found that the man had been ejected from the vehicle and had sustained several injuries."
Police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies said the car, which had reportedly been hired in Port Elizabeth, would be left in the sea.
"The circumstances around this incident are currently under investigation but no foul play is suspected," he said.
The previous victim was the 52-year-old Zonita Basson, a realtor from George, who plunged down the cliff at night in a Chevrolet Spark last month.
On October 22 last year, the 35-year-old Heidi Scheepers and her two children, the 6-year-old Cuzette and 2-year-old Hugo, lost their lives when their VW Caravelle crashed into the sea in the early evening.