‘Neglected’ M7 needs urgent attention
A concerned motorist complained about the potholes, the deterioration of the road and the uncut bushes.
A CONCERNED motorist, Suren Ganapathie, has witnessed the deterioration and shocking state of the M7 and has called on authorities to repair the busy highway.
Ganapathie said the provincial road has been neglected for many years and the situation has only seemed to have worsened.
“I used to travel on this road just a few times a month and, now that I use it every day, I notice all these issues, which I have reported on numerous occasions. What I fear most is that motorists may be involved in collisions while attempting to avoid the potholes.
“They could also damage their tyres going over the potholes, which could also result in them being involved in an accident. That road is just a danger zone. Should people die before the department takes the disrepair of the M7 seriously?” asked a concerned Ganapathie.
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Ganapathie highlighted his three issues of concern: the potholes, the deterioration of the road and the uncut bushes.
According to the resident, the potholes are patched, but this is staggered. He believes the highway needs to be resurfaced as the patchwork is just a temporary fix.
“The bushes need to be cut on a regular basis by a large team. The on ramps require attention before the islands/bends. The Department of Transport needs to attend to such matters promptly. This is gambling with people’s lives,” he said.
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According to Ganapathie, the areas that are in need of urgent attention include sections along the St John’s bridge and Winston Churchill Road.
“The M7 onto the Hans Dettman Highway east has been repaired on many occasions but that section is still in a shocking state. The bushes from Bellville and Hans Dettman Highway are a hindrance to motorists,” he said.
The ward 18 councillor, Melanie Brauteseth, said that although the M7 is a provincial road, she has been trying to address the many issues of the ‘M’ roads in her ward.
“Last year, I started getting involved in the clean-ups of the highways and, this year, I want to push officials to fix all of these problems. Our roads are in a poor condition,” said Brauteseth.
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