daylight pictures v night
looking at the taxiway photos taken in the daytime the lack of sign-age and markings are obvious and looks non-existent ?
but the major taxiway then leads sharp left onto the runway (then it goes straight on if you miss the left turn immediately narrowing with building obstructions for heavies)
a poster has mentioned 4 such deviations have happened before (no idea over what time period)
make it night-time with rain and unless you are creeping along and totally familiar with this honey trap then of course it will happen...if it might happen then it will happen one day.
most European pax wide-body/747 operators have for over 30 years or more departed JNB always at night and not in daylight so pilots will never see this trap in daylight and become familiar.
Does BA JNB SOP's make a special note to pilots about this taxiway?
even if a caution is on the airfield plate a big problem like this perhaps should be on an Airlines own SOP for that airport - BA have sometimes 3 flights a night out of JNB
really feel sorry for the guys involved here - and trust the matter is dealt with sensibly on all sides.