Residents appeal to municipality to fix residential roads
Residents are appealing to the eThekwini Municipality to investigate roads that are safety hazards for those residents who frequently walk the roads and for those who use residential roads on their running course.
GLENWOOD and Umbilo residents are fed up with the state of their residential roads and are appealing to the eThekwini Municipality to investigate roads that are safety hazards.
Natal Settlers Memorial Home in Umbilo is home to Zacharias Koekemoer who often uses Hutchinson Road to visit the local shop. He uses the time to get some exercise, fresh air, and a change of scenery, however, the 76-year-old says he has to avoid a major hole on the street when he walks on Hutchinson. “I often use the path to go to the shop. But I always have to be careful of the big hole in the ground, or one day I might trip and stumble into it,” said Koekemoer.
The pensioner said he is not the only one from the home who walks along Hutchinson Road and fears for the safety of other elderly residents and children. “It’s a safety hazard for everyone that walks here. In the dark, if someone can’t see, they could slip and break an arm or a leg,” he said.
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Koekemoer said he has been aware of the hole for three years and hopes to see it fixed.
Glenwood resident and member of the Glenwood-based Stella Running Club, Natalie La Cave, says she has noticed quite a few roads in the area while participating in weekly runs with the club, that are damaged and that pose a safety risk to residents. “There is a massive hole by the corner of Berea Road and JB Marks Road. Cars have to swerve to avoid it. Additionally, coming along Ridge Road, just before the tollgate bridge, there is another big hole that cars have to swerve to avoid. There is also damage on Cato Road and Lena Arhens Road,” said La Cave.
La Cave said the holes in the roads affect runners with regard to safety. “It is a safety hazard for runners and especially those who have trouble with their balance, like elderly people. As a runner or a walker, you can really hurt yourself, and we mostly train in the evenings, so if streetlights are out and visibility is poor, we could run right into a hole.”
The Glenwood resident said that rubble from unfinished building projects is washed onto the roads by heavy rains, and this is also a major obstruction for runners.
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Simphiwe Xulu, senior manager at the Roads and Stormwater Maintenance Department at the eThekwini Municipality, said the municipality sent out an area technologist to Lena Arhens, JB Marks, Ridge, and Cato roads on June 27 to investigate road damage on each of the roads.
“The department has a schedule for inspections of main roads once a month. The defects identified are recorded and scheduled for repairs,” said Xulu. Xulu advises residents and community forums to be on the lookout for any noticeable defects in the municipal infrastructure and are advised to report the matter to the Roads and Stormwater Maintenance Department’s call centre on 080 131 3013 or to email: eservices@durban.gov.za
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