Bredell Spar fixes potholes at own expense
After reporting and pleading for the Sixth Road, Bredell AH to be fixed, Bredell Spar takes matters into their own hands.
In an effort to maintain business and keep customers happy, Spar Bredell took it upon themselves to temporarily repair the potholes on Sixth Road, Bredell AH.
The store contributed R2 000 to R3 000 to purchase materials for the temporary fix.
However, as traffic increased, the repairs quickly deteriorated, and the road returned to its original damaged state.
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Nearby businesses, including Spar Bredell and Bean Tree Café, continue to suffer as customers frequently complain about the road conditions, which impact their willingness to visit the stores.
Bean Tree Café Manager Debbie Smith expressed frustration over the city’s neglect of the road, despite attending to other issues in the area.
“Whenever there’s an issue, the city responds quickly, yet they continue to ignore these potholes,” said Smith.
“Spar stepped in with a temporary fix to keep the business going, but it’s not our responsibility to repair city roads. It becomes even more dangerous when it rains because customers can’t see the potholes.”
The poor road conditions have already caused incidents.
Smith recalled an instance where a customer’s car fell into a pothole, adding to growing concerns about safety.
Spar Bredell manager Patrick Mofokeng shared that the city cited a shortage of tar as the reason for the lack of road maintenance.
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“When we reported the potholes, they told us they ran out of tar and were still waiting for new stock,” Mofokeng explained.
“That’s why we decided to buy our own materials to make the road safer for our customers. But it was only a temporary fix, we need these potholes properly repaired as soon as possible.”
According to the business owners, road inspectors visited the area but only repaired High Road and 3rd Avenue, leaving Sixth Road untouched.
About three weeks ago, someone attempted another temporary fix by filling the potholes with sand, but the solution has since deteriorated.
Ward Councillor Marinda Beukes said the city often responds to complaints with a simple “noted” but fails to act.
“Unfortunately, like everything else in the City of Ekurhuleni, issues just fall flat.
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“They claim there’s no money, yet they continue to restore roads, traffic lights, sewers, and wetlands elsewhere,” Beukes said.
Kempton Express reached out to the City of Ekurhuleni for comment on March 12, requesting a response by March 14.
However, no response was received by the deadline.
