TCM “fixes” Rosie’s pothole

BADFONTEIN – “Rosie’s pothole”, which made national headlines, was recently “fixed” by the Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM).

The acting municipal manager, Mr Godfrey Nkosi, summoned the media to take a photo of him sitting with his laptop at his desk on the fixed pothole.

This, however, never materialised as Nkosi was furious about the way in which the labourers had repaired the said pothole.

Workers apparently only used soil and cement to fix the gigantic pothole. “Is this how you fix potholes? Where is the tar?” Nkosi asked the workers.

He then cancelled the proposed photo and apologised to the media for the time wasted to drive out to the site.

One of the workers told the newspaper that there were no tar available for fixing potholes.

Steelburger/Lydenburg News nonetheless wanted to know from Nkosi why the proposed photo session was cancelled.

The newspaper also wanted to know what the motive for the pose was as well as the reason why he was so angry with the labourers.

Nkosi was also asked why they had decided on fixing that specific hole as it was on a provincial road.

He responded to the questions citing, “I initiated the proposed photo as I was under the impression at the time that the road fell under the municipality’s jurisdiction. It has now however come to my attention that it is the responsibility of the provincial government and can therefore not be fixed by TCM. Therefore I am unable to issue a comment on the matter.”

In the meantime Mr Fritz Louw had sent a formal complaint against the Mpumalaga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport to advocate Kevin Sifiso Malunga of the Public Protector. The complaint centres around the total and complete non-maintenance of the R36 Road between Lydenburg and the N4 in Mpumalanga.

“It is an extremely busy route in that part of Mpumalanga. The current state of this overworked stretch of road is absolutely appalling. The potholes are too numerous to count and in some instances, have turned into ditches that span the entire width of the surface. This road is a shame and a disgrace for our country taking into account how many overseas visitors used it to reach the Kruger National Park.”

He also stated in his complaint that 40-ton trucks carrying ore from the nearby Lydenburg mines were rapidly destroying the road surface.

“Damage to vehicles, accidents and a decline in tourism to this beautiful part of our country are all the result of a non-caring attitude of government (provincial and national).”

Louw said if they needed more photos and other documentary proof to substantiate this complaint they were welcome to contact him.

Adv Malunga confirmed receipt of the complaint and said, “Kindly note that I am on leave until Monday January 20, 2013. In the interim Ms Lesedi Sekele(Monareng) will assist you in formalising your complaint in line with our procedures. We will certainly assist.”

According to Mr Dumisani Malumule, acting head of communication for public works, roads and transport, substantial maintenance had been done to the road, but the large number of trucks from various mines that use it have contributed to its rapid deterioration.

“The road has now deteriorated to the point where patching is not a feasible option anymore, but rehabilitation is required,” Dumisani said. According to him all efforts were being made to ensure that rehabilitation is done in the 2014/15 financial year. “The MEC will pronounce the plans for the provincial road network during the 2014/15 Policy Budget Speech.

It came to Steelburger/Lydenburg News attention that new designs for the R36 had been submitted as early as 2006/07 after serious problems were identified, but the tender was never advertised as it was supposed to according to legislation. The department could not provide an answer to the paper as to why this was the case.

According to the public works, roads and transport the route was tarred in the sixties and the Kwena dam section in the early eighties. It was designed for a lifespan of between 15 and 20 years, carrying a traffic volume of maximum one million eight-ton axel heavy vehicles of 0,3 to 1 million for this period.

With the current traffic volume, the guaranteed lifespan will be reached in only 317 days. When the paper asked the department to explain why no action had been taken after problems had been identified as early as 2006/07 to accommodate the increased traffic volumes, no answer could be provided.

From September last year, requests poured in from all corners of the community, in which residents pleaded that something should be done about the situation but to no avail. On September 29 a motorcyclist nearly lost her life after the driver of a 40-ton truck lost control and the vehicle missed her with mere centimetres. According to the victim the truck did not stop. The latter also provided photos of the incident which were also sent to the Public Protector.