Rethinking school zone safety in South African townships: a systems analysis of Nkowankowa with implications for visual communication

Abstract Road safety remains a significant concern in South African townships, where many children rely on walking as their primary mode of transport to and from school. Despite ongoing road-safety initiatives, pedestrian fatalities remain high, highlighting persistent challenges within school-zone environments. This study examines road-safety conditions in selected school zones in Nkowankowa Township, South Africa, to identify infrastructural, institutional, and governance factors affecting child pedestrian safety. An exploratory qualitative case study design was employed, combining structured observational audits across eight school zones with semi-structured key-informant interviews. Findings were interpreted through a systems perspective and the Social Ecological Model to examine how multiple levels of influence shape road-safety outcomes. The findings reveal unclear school-zone governance arrangements, limited implementation of formal safety initiatives, inconsistent road-safety infrastructure, and high levels of pedestrian exposure to traffic-related risks. The study concludes that improving road safety in township school zones requires coordinated interventions across infrastructural, institutional, community, and policy levels.