Peter Richardson, Matjhabeng:
There is a private contractor with a tipper truck transporting waste rock from the dumps at the old Freddies North shaft in Odendaalsrus, which then gets tipped at the Masimong 4 shaft (Masimong Mine road to Saaiplaas, Virginia).
These trucks operate without any identifying insignia as to who owns or operates them.
The reason for my email is that these truck drivers:
- operate above the rule of the law on public roads;
- do not travel at the prescribed speed of 80 km/h;
- do not stop at stop signs or adhere to any road signs;
- overtake on solid lines and in front of oncoming traffic; and
- never use indicators.
The list goes on – wreckless driving at it worst.
I have seen the traffic authorities pulling these trucks off the road due to their reckless driving, but still it continues. Several people I have spoken to have experienced the exact same behaviour from these drivers. Arrive Alive has also been notified.
This is a very serious matter, and someone is going to get killed as they operate in built up residential areas.
Just as a matter of interest, in a straight line it is 5,5 km from the waste rock dump in Odendaalsrus to the nearest rail head at Nyala shaft where Phakisa mine’s ore gets railed from to the gold plant.
These trucks travel 24,8 km, as the crow flies, to off-load the rock, which then gets railed to the same gold plant – why? This is a total waste of resources and energy going by road and does not make any economical or environmental sense. Get these trucks off the roads please.
I am writing this as a very concerned citizen with children from Matjhabeng – please address this insanity before the community does something about this.
