Ward councillor fills Lonehill potholes with sand
A councillor has taken matters into his own hands as motorists continue to navigate a pothole-riddled road near a busy shopping centre.
Motorists using Lone Close, near Lonehill Shopping Centre and the Engen garage, are experiencing some relief after Ward 94 councillor David Foley stepped in to fill several large potholes with sand as a temporary measure.
The potholes, which had been causing concern among motorists for several weeks, have affected a busy stretch of road used by thousands of vehicles travelling to and from the shopping centre daily.
Read more: Sunninghill pothole crisis drags on
Foley returned to the site to assess the temporary repairs and said the sand appeared to be holding up well, making it safer for motorists to navigate the affected section. “I popped in over the weekend to fill the potholes because they were quite bad. We know it is going to take a little while for Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) to complete what they call a skin patch and resurface this road. Looking at the work done when I filled the potholes on October 25, they are actually handling it quite well. The sand has gone in nicely, and the cars are traversing here quite safely, which I am quite happy about.”
He said he had received numerous complaints from motorists concerned about the condition of the road, particularly given the volume of traffic in the area. “You can imagine how busy this road is, with people going to the shopping centre every day, in the morning, during the day, in the afternoon and at night. It is very busy, with thousands of cars a day, and I just wanted to protect their tyres and rims.”
Also read: Pothole causes vehicle damage on busy Winnie Mandela Drive
He attributed the delay in repairs to competing demands placed on the Region 8 depot, which had been tasked with projects in Diepsloot and Ivory Park. Foley said the depot manager had assured him that the necessary repairs would be carried out within the next couple of weeks. The planned work is expected to include pothole repairs and resurfacing of the affected section.
On October 26, the Fourways Review contacted JRA for comment on the outstanding repairs, the reported shortage of tar at the Region 8 depot. The agency was also asked to clarify whether resource constraints had affected its ability to attend to road maintenance in the area. A follow-up was sent on October 30. JRA’s response will be added once received.
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