Beyers Park resident voluntarily fixes potholes across Boksburg
When he is not fixing potholes or at his eight-to-five job, he takes part in online sim racing and spends time with his family.
You have probably seen a random man around the streets of Boksburg repairing potholes, but wondered why he is doing it.
The Boksburg Advertiser caught up with the Beyers Park resident, Hansie Myburgh, who has taken the initiative to fill potholes after becoming tired of seeing them across Boksburg.
Myburgh said everything started when he realised how people in his community WhatsApp group were logging pothole complaints daily but nothing was done.
In February, his wife’s car tyre and rim got damaged by a pothole, which cost him about R3 000.
Meanwhile, in 2019, he drove into a manhole near Railway Street, resulting in damage on his two tyres, rims and the engine mount, which cost him R15 000.
“When I tried to claim back from the municipality, they declined my application. After realising how massive this problem of potholes was in Boksburg, I then took to the WhatsApp group to share my idea on how we can solve the problem. The community responded well to the idea and we then got a donation of 42 tar bags and we kicked off the project. With the help of other concerned community members, we began fixing potholes at the crossing of Louis Botha and Goodman Road, Beyers Park, in February after receiving requests from residents to fix that particular spot,” said Myburgh. About 30 holes were filled that day.
With the support of the community, he further managed to buy 70 tar bags from the contribution he received from members of the community who were also fed up with potholes.
“Springs Mica donated 20 bags and we focused on Beyers Park, Elizabeth Road, Eveleigh and other streets with those bags. So far, we have fixed 130 potholes,” he said.
Process of fixing potholes
Myburgh, who has an eight-to-five job, said he goes out around 5am with his helper, Mike Banda, to fix potholes. He said he puts out red cons to cordon off a part of the road.
The dedicated Beyers Park resident said he sometimes goes out in the evenings. “If it’s a very busy road, I ask for a support vehicle from Legendary Guardians Exclusive Protection services,” he said.
He explained to the Advertiser that he uses a broomstick to sweep away the dirt and a shovel to remove the debris.
He further added that the hole must be damp to pour the tar into the hole and then level it.
Besides his construction knowledge, someone who works for the Department of Roads taught him how to repair potholes.
Challenges
Myburgh shared that he sometimes encounters people who shout or want to beat him as they think that he is working for the municipality.
“To calm the situation, I would then explain that I’m not working for the municipality but a community group. They would then ask to be added to the group. Since I have started, I have received enormous support from the community who also come out to assist,” he said.
He said another challenge that he encounters in his job is people who are against him working on the municipality roads.
“When I started, there was a man that was sent out by the metro to check if I am using the right products and method. I have also been told that since I am working on council roads I will be liable if anything happens to motorists who drive into my repaired potholes. Currently, that is the fight that I am fighting. I’ve gotten an indemnity form set up and it just highlights that I am working on their municipal roads and if anything happens to me or my worker I will not claim from them and I know the protocols of not working on main roads and highways,” he said.
He urged the community to continue assisting him to repair more potholes. Anybody who can assist may contact Myburgh on 083 280 4518.
More about him
Myburgh is married to Chantal and has one child. He has been a resident of Beyers Park for 15 years.
He matriculated at Hoërskool Hans Moore in 1998 and furthered his studies at African Cadd Academy where he obtained an NQV level four and N5 in electrical draughting.
He is also a photographer and has covered major events, such as the World Super Bikes held at Kyalami in 2009.
When he is not fixing potholes or at his eight-to-five job, he takes part in online sim racing and spends time with his family.
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