SANRAL acted with great speed to reduce the speed limit at the dangerous Waterpoort T-junction on the N1 North.

On 24 January, the Zoutpansberger reported on the many accidents at this junction. The very next day, SANRAL had sent out their team and 120km/h, 100km/h and 80km/h speed limit signs were put up on either side of the junction.

“The safety of our road users is one of the cornerstones of The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited’s (SANRAL’s) operations. It informs and guides both the engineering and planning of the roads and the management of the users to result in the optimum balance between traffic flow and safety for the road users...,” SANRAL’s communication manager, Priya Pillay, said per email.

SANRAL said that they had already placed high-visibility signs on the R523 (Waterpoort Road) and rumble strips to warn motorists on the approach to the N1 T-junction.

“The team investigating this matter have indicated that the road is in very good condition and the vehicles are rolling because they try to turn right, onto the R523 from the N1 north, at high speed or vehicles trying to avoid vehicles not stopping at the T- junction … the team have undertaken to investigate reducing the speed limits in the area,” Pillay said.

A representative of a SANRAL communication and advertising company informed the Zoutpansberger on 31 January that the signs had already been put up the previous Friday.