Suburban
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
Mt Pleasant and Borrowdale residents have joined hands in appealing to the authorities to remove signposts and mainly commercial advertisements on the roads as they are obstructing drivers and posing serious danger to the public.
From Mt Pleasant Sports Club, residents say that there is a signpost which is totally blocking the view of motorists as one drives out of the club.
Residents say the person or company who leases out space there agreed to raise the height of the sign, which is what the residents suggested rather than remove it. But the owner of the business with the sign is said to have later screamed and shouted at residents calling them unpleasant names.
There are roadside advertising boards on lamp posts along Liberation Legacy Way (formerly Borrowdale Road).
One resident said they had to swerve the nose of their car out onto the opposite lane, which had vehicles approaching at speed, to see if there was oncoming traffic because of the adverts.
There are also roadside adverts at the Harry Pichanick Drive intersection with Liberation Legacy Way (formerly Borrowdale Road).
Residents also complained about property agents who litter verges with their advertising signposts which are often placed right next to the road blocking the view of drivers from seeing oncoming traffic.
There are also adverts, which are completely blocking the view of traffic along Chatsworth Road in Mt Pleasant. All these signs are illegally placed at intersections not only blocking the view of motorists but also distracting them from concentrating on driving.
Roadside advertising is a big problem in Harare.
Key stakeholders and residents in Mt Pleasant and Borrowdale said a lot of people don’t realise that these roadside adverts are illegal and they pose a serious danger to motorists and other road users.
The residents urged the City of Harare to enforce its by-laws and fine the perpetrators of this illegality.
“People don’t realise that these signs are illegal unless approved by council and the reason why they are illegal is because they are a deadly hazard,” said a resident.
Chipped in another resident: “The illegal road sign posts issue needs serious attention as it is now everywhere and posing a serious danger to motorists and they have to manoeuvre their way out carefully.”
Residents urged Harare Municipality to make the roads in the city safe.
“We want to urge the local authority to implement by-laws and make roads safe again. It’s really difficult to drive on these roads full of sign posts which will be totally blocking drivers’ view. The law should take its course,” said a resident.
Residents said they could not confront some of the owners of these businesses for fear of victimisation.
“The residents can only do so much and with the fear of being victimised it’s really difficult. On this note we want to ask the City of Harare and the Government to join hands and address this crisis.
‘‘If the sign posts on the roads issue is not given urgent attention it’s going to become a ticking time bomb,” said a concerned resident.
