Arrive Alive, the road safety advocates, have welcomed the R27 million investment the eThekwini Municipality is making in improving safety for pedestrians. 

Over the next five years, the municipality has set aside R27 million to ensure that roads around the Durban City Hall are safer for both motorists and pedestrians. The rollout of these projects will begin in January 2026.

This investment forms part of the City’s broader strategy to reduce pedestrian fatalities in the Durban Central Business District (CBD) said the municipality on Wednesday. 

The municipality stated that in the past five years, 153 pedestrians have died in road crashes within the CBD, prompting an intervention by the eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA). 

“The initiative addresses persistent issues in the CBD such as red-light violations, speeding, reckless driving, illegal parking, and jaywalking, which continue to contribute to the high accident rate,” the municipality said. 

To curb these challenges, ETA is implementing a series of infrastructure upgrades and awareness campaigns aimed at improving pedestrian safety and reducing traffic-related deaths in high-risk areas.

Key infrastructure projects include raised intersections and pedestrian crossings to slow down vehicles, kerb extensions (pedestrian nibs) to improve visibility and shorten crossing distances, and upgrades aligned with the International Road Assessment Programme to meet a minimum three-star safety rating.

In addition to the physical interventions, ETA will continue to implement targeted pedestrian safety campaigns focusing on safe crossing practices and responsible road use. 

These campaigns will include media outreach, community activations, and interactive education programmes linked to the new infrastructure.

The latest interventions build on a series of pedestrian safety initiatives already undertaken during Transport Month. The City is calling on residents, motorists, and pedestrians to play their part in promoting road safety and helping create a safer, more inclusive urban environment.

Johan Jonck, Arrive Alive road safety expert, said that 45% of all road deaths annually are pedestrians because of their vulnerability. Jonck emphasised four key points to make roads safe. These were the four E’s:

• Education
• Enforcement
• Evaluation 
• Engineering

Jonck emphasised that road engineering plays a key role in pedestrian safety, providing physical measures to help pedestrians feel secure. These included speed calming measures around schools, traffic circles and roundabouts that reduce speed around high pedestrian areas. 

“I try to do my best on the education side, but often pedestrians and motorists do not obey the rules of the road, so sometimes if we can have simple engineering solutions, it helps a lot,” he said. 

Jonck said the road infrastructure in South Africa also needed improvement, with potholes and unmarked open excavations posing the greatest risk. He also encouraged pedestrians to wear clothing that made them visible to motorists. 

“If we can have an engineering divide between the vehicle and a pedestrian similar to what eThekwini is proposing, then perhaps it will help reduce the number of fatalities. The initiative by eThekwini should be implemented throughout South Africa. We look forward to its implementation,” he said.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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