INSTEAD of playing, these kids do what authorities should be doing.
A group of children has been erecting speed humps on a gravel road in Kekana Gardens in Hammanskraal, Tshwane, to make their community safer.
They told Daily Sun they were helping their parents make the area safer for everyone.
Parent Elizabeth Mantu (48) said the community has been trying for years to find a way to make motorists slow down, but didn’t know what to do anymore.
“This is a busy main road and our kids play on the streets.
“Motorists don’t care. They have even insulted our kids for erecting a speed hump,” she said.
Elizabeth said the kids were sacrificing their playtime to help their parents make the area safer.
“We have two day-care centres. We need our councillor to take this matter seriously and assist us.”
Annah Malukeka (42) said her child nearly died after being hit by a taxi.
“This road also needs to be tarred because the dust is unbearable,” she said, adding that when it rained, the humps were destroyed and had to be done again.
She said residents should collect money to put up a cement hump.
Councillor Thembi Sephuthuma said she applied to Tshwane Municipality to have a proper speed hump erected, but it couldn’t be done on a gravel road. She said in the meantime, she would try to get road construction workers to fix the existing hump after it rained.
Thapelo Maluleka (10) said they liked helping their parents, even though taxi drivers insulted them.
Acting municipal chief of staff Jordan Griffiths said a micro upgrade programme has been introduced, which allowed councillors to submit lists of small projects that communities needed.
“Gravel roads are difficult to create speed humps on. The road has to be properly tarred first.”