The City of Ekurhuleni has confirmed that potholes along Springs Road in Witpoort have been repaired following an accident involving a pregnant driver.

The crash occurred on August 19 after the woman’s vehicle hit a large pothole near the entrance to Morlean Trading.

As reported in the Brakpan Herald’s August 27 edition, the incident raised concerns about the condition of the road and the municipality’s response to repeated reports regarding the route.

Several potholes had remained unrepaired for months on the approach from Springs, just before the subway. Jacques Botha, the owner of Morlean Trading, witnessed the crash.

The large pothole, which had reportedly been logged with the city repeatedly since May, was filled with tar on the day of the accident.

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Concerns remained that the remaining potholes over a low bridge next to a spring and a large tree could cause further serious crashes.

Residents also expressed concern that the initial repair work was substandard, as the tar used to fill the hole quickly sank and pulled away from the edges.

The large pothole is suspected to have been caused by a water or sewage leak higher up the road, closer to Rand Collieries.

The other potholes over the low bridge are believed to have formed after the road flooded during the wet season earlier in the year.

Botha noted that since starting his business in the area in the 1970s, he has maintained his side of the spring to reduce flooding during heavy rain, while the municipality is responsible for clearing the drainage pipe under and beside the road.

He said municipal workers previously cleared the area every rainy season for decades, but no such maintenance has been conducted recently, causing water to flood the road and create deep potholes.

“This is a very unfortunate incident that has occurred. We sympathise with those affected and wish them a speedy recovery,” said city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

According to Dlamini, the pothole that caused the accident was a long-standing issue caused by a leaking water pipe.

City records show that the Brakpan Roads Depot responded to the issue in February, but those interventions failed to hold as the leak caused further damage.

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The Water and Sanitation Department repaired the pipe earlier in August, but did not properly reinstate the road with asphalt surfacing.

“On the day of the accident, Brakpan Roads attended to the excavation. It was found that unsuitable material was used to reinstate the road. The excavation was immediately patched to ensure public safety,” said Dlamini.

“The patch showed signs of subsidence a week later and Brakpan Roads returned to add another layer of asphalt. The department cannot report on the efficiency of the pipe repair, but we will monitor the situation.

“The other potholes on the road were repaired, and the stormwater pipe was inspected. Water is flowing freely in the pipe, but there is some maintenance required downstream. Brakpan Roads will attend to it.”

Dlamini added: “This was an unfortunate incident. It must be noted that public safety is our number one priority.”