Interfaith prayer to tackle 'highway of hell' after six deaths on Higginson

CONCERNED community members and religious leaders will hold an inter-faith prayer meeting on Sunday to address the alarming number of accidents and fatalities on the neglected Higginson Highway.

With six deaths since December and persistent issues like broken street lighting, residents are calling for divine intervention and improved road safety.

The prayer meeting will take place at 2pm at the Westcliff Railway Station car park where residents, the Chatsworth community policing (CPF) sub-forums, community and religious leaders will gather to pray for the safety of motorists.

Rocky Naidoo, a community leader, said broken street lighting was one of the contributing factors to the high number of accidents along the highway.

“The lack of lighting along the highway has been a problem since 2016. Higginson was once one of the best lit highways, and it is sad that we have allowed it to deteriorate to become a highway of hell and a death trap.

“Our repeated requests for the lights to be fixed have fallen on deaf ears. We are praying for the lives of drivers, and we are urging motorists to be cautious and responsible when driving along the highway,” Naidoo said.

Tony Govender, a councillor for Westcliff, said about six people have died on Higginson Highway since December. This prompted his office to collaborate with the Westcliff community to arrange the interfaith prayer.

“We want to invoke the blessings of God for safety and guidance on our roads. The prayers will be conducted by Guru L Dashendren, Pundit V Maharaj, Maulana Farhad and Pastor Neela Manuel. 

“Residents, motorists, CPFs, religious leaders and other concerned persons are invited to attend. Metro police and local security companies will attend," said Govender.

Vishal Lachman, spokesperson for the Chatsworth CPF, said they were strengthening collaborations with law-enforcement agencies to ensure visible policing, enforcement, and ongoing road-safety interventions. 

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in tragic accidents on the Higginson Highway. We acknowledge the pain and grief felt by the affected families and the wider community.

“While we unite in prayer for safety, healing and guidance, we also call on our community to actively engage in obeying the rules of the road. Road safety is a shared responsibility and preventing further loss of life requires disciplined driving, awareness and respect for the law. Through faith, community action and law enforcement working together, we can strive to prevent further tragedies on our roads,” said Lachman.

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