We know Kommetjie as a place where folks walk, jog, cycle and skateboard in safety, but this relaxed environment and the ability to enjoy the beautiful night sky without noise and light pollution, may be in danger unless we react swiftly and together.
Kom is an environmentally friendly place, and a family friendly village where children walk and cycle to school, skateboard, and walking dogs around the village streets is common and important. Our children are safely walked or pushed in prams to the library and parks by mothers and nannies.
However, there is some concern over a plan by the City of Cape Town, who have allocated budget to put 9.2 metre street lights along Wireless road, and 8.2 metre lights along Riverside road. This will be completed by June 2025.
Alderman Felicity Purchase apparently said this is being done due to the results of a survey done many years ago which asked how many people wanted street lights installed on the main road between Kommetjie and Ocean View. The results were 55% in favor, and 45% against the light.
These lights will cost CoCT probably in excess of R400 000. Money from the lighting department cannot apparently be re-allocated to the roads department.
These results have perhaps been misinterpreted to mean street lights are wanted throughout Kommetjie. KRRA will arrange for a new survey done to determine what our community wants.
With the increasing traffic on Wireless road caused especially by the 2 new Riverside developments, our community’s safety issues have reached a critical point.
A recent survey of 1,002 vehicles showed that 42% of vehicles speed through the Wireless rd./Riverside rd. intersection with 82 traveling over 70km, 14 over 80km and 2 over 90 km, with the highest speed being 96km. We need to be proactive before someone is killed or severely injured here.
Street lights do not stop speeding. We need evidence-based solutions used to save lives and make #StreetsForAll. In South Africa people simply do not obey road rules as there are no consequences for disobeying them, nor is there sufficient enforcement.
The only thing that stops speeding is traffic calming, like speed tables or bumps.
No budget has been allocated by the CoCT for traffic calming, nor will they consider this due to budget restraints, there being no school in the area, nor have fatalities occurred here (yet). The CoCT will not consider lowering the speed to 50 km. The Wireless road area of Kommetjie conservatively brings the City R14 million in rates annually. Is it not time we were given a say in what our needs are, and having them met?
The mayor recently proudly stated that public lighting is being put into Khayelitsha to increase safety for residents and empower their neighbourhood watch groups.
If we do not want the lights, perhaps they could be used in Ocean View, or Khayelitsha if they are needed there?
A special meeting is being held on 30th October at 6.30pm, at the Kommetjie Primary school to discuss these main issues:
Should we simply accept our extremely high preventable road carnage?
Do we want street lights in Wireless rd.?
Do we want street lights in Riverside Drive?
Do we want a raised pedestrian intersection platform at Wireless/Riverside intersection?
Are you prepared to pledge money toward the pedestrian platform if we have to pay for it ourselves? It will cost +/- R300 000
How much money are you prepared to pledge? At present we have R60 000 pledged and are waiting for feedback from the Estate Agents and builders in the area about how much they will pledge.
Please attend this meeting to make your voice heard.
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