Residents across parts of Mbombela are voicing growing frustration over deteriorating roads and malfunctioning streetlights, claiming that repeated reports to the City of Mbombela (CoM) have gone largely unattended.

Many say the town is riddled with potholes, while some streetlights remain dysfunctional for weeks or even months despite being reported multiple times. The situation has left residents feeling neglected, with some conceding that certain roads may never be repaired.

In some areas, communities have turned to the private sector for assistance. Homeowners in Riverside Gardens, for instance, claim they have been waiting nearly a year for faulty streetlights in Watercress Street to be fixed. As a result, they have resorted to hiring private service providers at their own cost.

ALSO READ: Locals gatvol as City of Mbombela network crumbles

Frustrations are echoed across several streets. On Koedoe Street, a resident reported faulty streetlights nine times in just three weeks, only for repairs to last a day or two before failing again. A growing pothole in the same street also remains unattended.

Motorists using Dr Enos Mabuza Drive towards Steiltes say the road is in a terrible condition, with vehicles hitting potholes so hard it causes discomfort and damage, particularly for those towing trailers. Other affected areas include Bulpin Street, described by residents as more dam than road due to water-filled potholes, and Akwamaryn Street, where some believe a gravel road would be safer given its current state.

ALSO READ: City of Mbombela’s Service Delivery Drive delayed by rain

Du Preez Street, a key route to Valley Hyper, is reportedly pitch dark at night due to non-functioning streetlights. Residents also highlighted long-standing issues with skew streetlights near the Steiltes Circle, where repairs have been ongoing for years without resolution.

In Ferreira Street, incomplete work has left the road in disarray, with missing poles and non-functional lights. In Stonehenge, the entrance along Percy Fitzpatrick Drive remains poorly lit, with potholes adding to traffic congestion during peak hours. Meanwhile, in Bush Shrike Street, residents report that streetlights are on during the day but off at night.

Other poorly lit areas include the R40 from Westend to the Tshwane University of Technology and Van Rooyen Street. Dr Enos Mabuza Drive, between Westend and Percy Fitzpatrick Drive, is also affected, and sections of Ferreira Street suffer frequent, long-lasting streetlight failures.

Business owners on Bosch Street and in Vintonia Industrial Park frequently contact the municipality to repair faulty streetlights, citing safety and security concerns.

With mounting complaints and little visible progress, residents are calling on the municipality to urgently address infrastructure failures and restore basic services.

The CoM spokesperson, Joseph Ngala, said the repairs of potholes and streetlights is ongoing when they are reported. Some streetlights are affected by cable theft in Mbombela.