WATCH: Hole lot of frustration for motorists

Residents fed up with our poorly maintained roads have voiced their frustrations about vehicle-wrecking potholes causing endless misery.

Boksburg Advertiser visited some of the most affected stretches of roads in Boksburg and spoke to residents and businesses.
They said the road defects are damaging their vehicles and the metro is ignoring their complaints, failing to take the necessary steps to combat the pothole epidemic in the city.

Anderbolt
Among the visited areas is the Anderbolt industrial area, where the ageing road infrastructure is in utter shambles.

While most of the roads are in bad condition, All Black Road, from Turf Road to Dunswart Avenue, appears to be the worst, with shocking craters and other surface damage so bad they have become almost impassable.

A business owner, Timothy Govender of Nibella Star, said the pothole-riddled road has plagued motorists for too long.
They have endlessly complained to the council, but they have got no help.

Govender complained the road blighted with craters cost them thousands of rand in vehicle repair bills, and discouraged customers and more investors to the area, thereby impacting their businesses and the economy.

“It’s a mess! Gaping potholes cover almost the entire stretch of road. We have been trying to get the municipality to fix the road surface for 10 years but it looks like our complaints are falling on deaf ears because no one seems interested.

“It’s worse when it’s raining and causes congestion as motorists have to carefully navigate around these holes.

“There are also stormwater drains that have collapsed, and this results in flooding on most of the roads when it rains.”
Govender said that the businesses in the industrial area are happy to pay for rates and taxes, but they in return expect the municipality to have competent people who maintain and repair the infrastructure instead of sticking plaster solutions.

“Apart from the terrible roads, the entire area has been plagued by road infrastructure issues, including broken sewer and stormwater systems.”
Another resident, Roan van Niekerk shared that the craters are continually inflicting punctures on his car leaving him with massive bills.

“It has become hard to negotiate that bit of the pothole-riddled lanes. The road needs resurfacing. When it rains you cannot see some of the potholes because they are filled with water. I’m driving a 4×4, but I can’t drive down here very easily. You have to creep down the lanes and pavement at a snail’s pace, and even then you hit potholes.”

In desperation, some residents have found a way to protect their vehicles, such as driving on the pavement and filling the craters with building debris.

Parkdene
Among the badly affected roads is the stretch of Southvale Road and Spruyt Street next to Bokkie Park in Parkdene.

One of the residents, Ruan Reinach, who is forced to deal with a massive crater next to his driveway, complained that despite him and other residents reporting the problem to the municipality, the road has been deteriorating for over eight years and no one seems to care.
“Since the problem started no one ever bothered to come and fix the road, and it’s gradually getting worse.

“I know in some other areas local residents have taken the initiative and patched potholes themselves because the authorities were taking so long. But you ask yourself: why, because we pay the municipality for this service. They must just do their job. They are getting salaries.”

North Rand Road
Naomi Mkhwali, a street vendor who has operated on North Rand Road for five years, expressed her concern about the worsening state of the road.

“The road is bad for motorists and the potholes continue to grow every time it rains. This situation is affecting motorists significantly, causing vehicle damage and posing safety risks. Drivers are forced to swerve around the potholes, which can lead to accidents,” Mkhwali said.
She emphasised the economic burden that the constant need to navigate hazardous conditions places on drivers.
“The struggle to navigate these dangerous roads is not only frustrating but also a financial strain on those who rely on their vehicles to work,” she added.

An employee, Sibusiso Mzimela, who works near the affected area shared similar concerns.
“The potholes are always a problem on this road. We constantly complain, but it seems like our voices are falling on deaf ears. Now that it’s the rainy season, we often see cars suffering significant damage from potholes.

“We sell cars, and it’s bad for business. Customers might be scared to buy from us because of how badly the roads are affected,” the employee said.
Boksburg Advertiser visited North Rand Road on March 12 to capture images of the hazardous conditions, and returned the following day, March 13, to find that maintenance crews had started addressing the problem.

Susan Mkhabela, an employee of the roadworks team, confirmed that they had deployed staff to various spots along the road to repair the potholes.
“We are actively fixing the potholes that have been identified and are working on improving the road conditions,” Mkhabela explained.

Despite the efforts of the roadworks team, residents and business owners are hoping that the repairs will be more consistent and comprehensive to prevent further damage and ensure the safety of everyone who uses North Rand Road.

Middle Street
Njabulo Mhlongo, who works near Middle Street, shared his experience with the ongoing pothole crisis in the area. He recounted witnessing a taxi getting stuck due to potholes and stagnant water.

“The situation here is terrible, and it has been like this since I started working here. The pothole problem has persisted for nearly a decade,” he said.
He noted that local businesses occasionally come together to repair the potholes, but the issue reappears within two months.

“I believe this has been reported to the city several times, but no action has been taken,” he added.
Njabulo also described the daily challenges he faces, especially during rainy weather, when navigating the area becomes particularly difficult.

“Sometimes cars drive by, and I get splashed by water. Passing through here is always a struggle,” he concluded.
A motorist, who wished to remain anonymous, described the road as dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians.
“You have to drive on the pavement due to the terrible road conditions, which have also caused me to lose a few tyres.”

Meanwhile, the owner of Middle Road Storage described the road as a mess.
“It’s been like this for many years now, and we have reported it on numerous occasions, to no avail.”
Regarding the impact the road conditions have on his business, the owner said: “People still support us, but it’s not good for our clients or staff members to drive on a road in such a state.”

Ronel Strydom, the business manager of Blue Marlin, expressed concerns about the adverse impact of road conditions on their customer base.
“Many of our customers are no longer coming to support us because they fear damage to their tyres. We’ve received numerous complaints about the state of the road,” she stated.

Venus Road
Venus Road in Atlasville is riddled with potholes to such an extent that residents have attempted to cordon off the area by placing large cones in the road.
Apart from the poor state of the road, the stormwater drains are blocked, causing the road to flood.

Resident Mark van Vuuren said that the stretch of road was in bad condition when he moved in nine years ago, but now it’s at its worst.
“It’s just a nightmare. There are potholes that you can’t even see when it rains because the stormwater drains are blocked, causing the road to flood. Some motorists don’t even drive on the road anymore. They drive across the field opposite my house instead,” he said.

Van Vuuren added that residents have reported the issue on numerous occasions but have yet to see any improvements.
“Residents are trying their best to maintain the roads themselves, but it’s not working. They’ve now tried to put cones in the road to make people aware of the potholes,” he said.

Chante Pienaar, who was driving on the road during the Boksburg Advertiser’s visit on March 15, said she had already lost two tyres due to the potholes.
“The road has been in a bad condition for years now, and it has gotten worse in the last five months.”

Pienaar also mentioned that the state of the road causes major traffic congestion.
She added that she had reported the issue on the city’s app, only to receive a response saying that the matter had been closed, despite the road still being in disrepair.

Bill Rundle, DA Ekurhuleni spokesperson on transport planning, roads and stormwater, said the municipality takes residents for fools by stating that pothole repairs and road patching are receiving the utmost attention, when the reality on the ground tells a very different story.
“There is a total collapse of repairs and maintenance by the city. Of the CoE’s vehicle fleet only 20–25% of the depot vehicles are available at any given time.

“The failure by the CoE to pay contractors on time, or even pay at all, has created a monster. Service providers refuse to return the equipment they have repaired or to even perform in terms of Service Level Agreements (SLA’s).
“Ten in-house workshops are all dysfunctional and unfit for purpose as confirmed by an OHS report which has been conveniently withheld from the council.”

Drivers are forced to drive on the pavement to avoid potholes in All Black Road in Anderbolt.

Also Read: No potholes permitted here