SUMMERVELD (Ward 103) residents have raised concerns about the poor state of the roads, with members of the equestrian community calling for a permanent solution to a situation which at times has some locals filling in potholes themselves along the roads that are bumpy when driven on.

Resident Jodi Lloyd-Fox said a section of Hawkstone Road is tarred, while the remainder is gravel.

She said the gravel sections had become increasingly dangerous because of severe corrugation in the road surface.

“As a result of the deteriorating road conditions, travelling along these roads has become increasingly difficult and dangerous. The extreme corrugation makes towing horseboxes particularly difficult in an area where horses are transported regularly,” said Lloyd-Fox.

She explained that grading was used as a temporary measure to improve the road surface, but raised concerns about the effect this was having on the verges.

“Whenever the road is graded, the verges become narrower and narrower. There is virtually nowhere left for horses to walk safely alongside the road, and this is becoming a major safety concern,” she said.

 Lloyd-Fox added that Summerveld is a major equestrian training centre for racehorses and is also home to hundreds of sport horses and leisure horses.

“Safe access along local roads is therefore an important concern for the many people who live and work with horses in the area,” said Lloyd-Fox.

Lloyd-Fox added that the condition of the gravel road had also created difficulties for motorists and that accidents, some of them serious, had occurred.

Residents are concerned that without appropriate intervention, the deteriorating road surfaces and diminishing space alongside the roads will continue to pose risks to motorists and the equestrian community.

Also read: Residents raise complaints about roads in Summerveld

In a letter to the KZN Department of Transport (DoT) written on behalf of the local community, Cara Reynolds said another huge problem on one of the roads is “severe rutting” and loose gravel, with the latter reportedly having resulted in cars losing control and veering off the road, some overturning.

 “Vehicles constantly must travel in the centre of the road or into oncoming traffic due to the severe rutting and camber of the road making it even more dangerous to travel,” writes Reynolds.

Reynolds added that the DoT is aware of the condition of the roads in the area and that despite these being graded and resurfaced several times, “this lasts only one week, often even less, before the rutting appears again”.

“It is evident that the past and current solutions are not effective or adequate,” said Reynolds.

The bad condition of the roads has heavily impacted transportation in the area, with vehicles suffering costly damage, said Reynolds.

“We have emergency services based along the road too, and the road condition presents a massive issue for those travelling back and forth daily, especially those needing to transport sick or injured animals,” said Reynolds.

Reynolds added that the community is concerned that if left as is, a major accident could eventually occur.

“We pay exorbitant rates to live in our area but seem to come short when it comes to service delivery,” said Reynolds.

The residents have urged the DoT to tar the road and ensure it has speed humps.

Watch the video on TikTok or Facebook.

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter here