JOHANNESBURG - DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille has sparked controversy with a campaign spotlighting the city’s crumbling bridges.
She staged her warning on a dilapidated stretch of the M1, calling it a potential safety hazard for motorists.
“You can see behind me a bridge that is crumbling and in fact the bridge on the off-ramp is even in worse condition. Now the city has done an audit of bridges about eight years ago in which the audit warned them that the bridges would have to be seen to very quickly because they were rapidly becoming unsafe because of lack of maintenance.
“This is one of them, but there are many others around Joburg. Some are in an even worse condition. In fact, the city's own statistics say that 78 percent of bridges are in need of urgent maintenance and repair. They're either bad or very bad in their condition and this is serious for motorists because they and pedestrians often don't realise the state of the bridges that they drive over and under and that creates a potential hazard.
Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the DA would be fined for placing posters on bridges, which is not permitted.
He added JMPD would consult the IEC to explore further action.
“Political parties need to adhere to municipal bylaws.
“We will remove those posters on the bridge. This will definitely be taken forward,” Fihla said.
Zille conceded that the DA did not seek official approval for the event but insisted it’s vital to alert drivers to the risk posed by Johannesburg’s neglected bridges.
“Pointing out to the public that bridges are dangerous is certainly not a gimmick, it's a public service. This is an event organized by the national DA in concert with the provincial DA. We didn't specifically seek permission, but we are warning motorists that this is a very dangerous bridge and that they need to know it.