Urgent safety measures needed on M7 Solomon Mahlangu Drive after horror crash

A CONCERNED group of road users is highlighting the daily dangers on the M7 Solomon Mahlangu Drive, which runs between Pinetown and the N2 Bridge.

The group is baffled by the lack of clarity regarding who is responsible for law enforcement and road maintenance on this route, formerly known as Edwin Swales Drive.

Since initiating a fresh wave of emails in the first week of January 2026, the group has found itself caught in a frustrating back-and-forth correspondence with the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) and the Durban metro police.

Nilesh Maharaj, the coordinator of the safety campaign, has expressed deep concern about the collision rate on the M7 and the safety of motorists. For nearly four years, he has tried to attract the attention of municipal and provincial authorities to address these pressing concerns, while road users continue to fear for their safety.

Maharaj has highlighted several critical issues:

• Poor lighting and visibility.
• Uncut verges and bushes.
• Inadequate stormwater drainage.
• Absence of permanent AI or speed monitoring cameras.
• Deteriorating road surfaces, with many lanes showing tyre tracks from heavy vehicles.
• Insufficient lanes in both directions to accommodate the increasing number of light and heavy motor vehicles.
• No arrestor bed or weighbridge (truck scale).
• Minimal law enforcement regarding speed limits, correct lane usage, and compulsory stops under the Bellville Road Bridge.
• Lack of enforcement of heavy-duty vehicle curfews.
• No precautionary measures for hazardous goods transport or emergency plans.

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“There are solutions that can be implemented with immediate, medium, and long-term duration periods. We are losing lives due to frequent dangerous and fatal accidents,” Maharaj stated.

His motivation to pursue this safety campaign intensified after two individuals tragically died in a collision between a truck and a motor vehicle on the M7 on January 25, 2026. Two others were injured on the Pinetown-bound stretch of the road. According to ALS Paramedics, both vehicles veered off the roadway and down an embankment.

The light motor vehicle was found overturned, with two occupants trapped inside. A man in his 60s and a woman in her 40s sadly died at the scene. The truck driver and a passenger were discovered further down the embankment, necessitating the setup of a rope rescue system due to the challenging terrain.

“We seek the municipality's guidance, advice, and assistance in resolving these concerns following due processes. We all should work in unison on achieving the end goal, but instead, none of the law enforcement want to own up to who is responsible for the M7. Road users cannot afford any further delays to the implementation of solutions,” Maharaj said.

In an email response to Maharaj regarding law enforcement, the Durban metro police indicated that the road falls under the “prerogative” of the Roads Department and RTI. The municipal website also states that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport (KZN DoT) is responsible for maintaining all provincial roads, including the M7.

Ndabezinhle Sibiya, spokesperson for the KZN DoT, mentioned that the department would discuss the matter with engineers in the eThekwini region before issuing a detailed statement.

Tragically, on January 17, 2024, Constable Nozipho Zuma, 38, from the Bellair police station, was struck by a truck that ploughed into an accident scene on the M7 Highway.

Zuma and her colleagues, including metro police, were attending to an accident scene and diverting traffic when she was hit by a speeding truck.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE