Times Of Swaziland: OVERGROWTH THREAT

OVERGROWTH THREAT
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BY ANDILE NSIBANDE on 11/09/2019 00:56:00


MHLOSHENI – Roadside overgrown vegetation has been described by motorists as a
ticking time bomb threatening the lives of many road users.
This sentiment was shared by some angry road users immediately after a multiple
vehicle crash that sent about 10 people to hospital on Monday.
Three vehicles were involved in the nasty crash which occurred around Mhlosheni
after 5pm.
It happened at the intersection of the Nhlangano/Lavumisa Highway and the
Mbulungwane/Mhlosheni road.
One of the drivers conceded that her view was obscured at the junction by
overgrown vegetation which encroaches into the road. Her assertion was further
supported by drivers who converged at the scene soon after the accident.
The motorists said they also encountered the same problem while driving around
the area.
Attention
“The overgrown grass really needs attention. I have noted on several occasions
that it has now become hard to see oncoming vehicles, especially at
intersections. Drivers are forced to move into the road a little bit before they
can tell if there is a car coming or not.
“But this becomes very dangerous because at times you never see the vehicle
until it rams into yours,” argued one motorist.
The sentiment expressed by most of the drivers was that they were increasingly
becoming concerned that little was being done to address the problem of roadside
overgrown vegetation.
They all had the Almighty to thank that no lives were lost in Monday’s crash,
where a white Mahindra van that was south-bound on the Nhlangano/Lavumisa
Highway crashed into a Honda Fit that was joining the road at the intersection,
from the Franson Christian High School direction.
This caused the Mahindra to ram into another sedan that was parked further down
the road. The sedan was thrown in the air before finally resting in yet another
roadside thicket. The car was hit with such force that groceries which were
packed in the boot were thrown in the air in different directions, while some
other items were thrown out of the vehicle’s side window.
Five occupants of the car, a Mazda 3, were lucky to escape with minor injuries.
They had to be rushed to hospital, alongside five other passengers who were
travelling in the Mahindra van, which brought the total number of injured people
to 10.
The accident was confirmed by Chief Police Information and Communications
Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, when contacted yesterday.
She said an investigation has been launched into the cause of the accident. But
she did not rule out the issue of the roadside overgrown vegetation. Vilakati
then appealed to drivers to be cautious and further respect road signs.