Residents of Elandsfontein in the East Rand received a helping hand from the South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) recently when the roads agency assisted them with curbing reoccurring crime incidents in their community.

SANRAL was alerted of crime incidents affecting the community when a group of residents approached the roads agency to build the wall along the N17, which is part of its national road network.

“When the residents approached us, they explained that the main fence that separates the community from the highway was vandalised. We immediately dispatched our team to investigate.

Our investigation revealed that these vandalism incidents were happening at least twice a week and that the vandals had created a pathway for themselves to get easy access to and from the highway. Initially we started by repairing the fence with razor mesh. However, after we were alerted by the community once again that the vandals were cutting the razor fence and continuing with vandalism, we then erected a razor coil fence inside and outside the pre-cast wall to strengthen it, and to also make it difficult for the vandals to pass through.,” says Madoda Mthembu, SANRAL northern region’s operations and maintenance manager.

Mthembu also says they are also working with law enforcement authorities. “At SANRAL we always strive to support residents who live next to our road network,” he says.