The City of Mbombela (CoM) recently issued a statement about the resealing of Bosch Street and why some potholes were temporarily filled with sand.

This follows complaints from business owners and motorists after the work stopped without explanation. Similar temporary measures were also implemented on other roads within the CoM’s jurisdiction.

According to CoM spokesperson Joseph Ngala, work on Bosch Street has been delayed due to an expanded project scope to include other critical areas.

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“Work will resume once the rains have stopped. Due to the high traffic volume, repairs will be carried out after hours. The plan is to reseal the entire section, as the road is badly damaged, but it will not be completed in a single day,” he said.

Addressing concerns about the temporary filling of potholes, Ngala said the use of sand is a deliberate short-term safety measure.

“Sand and soil are used to temporarily fill potholes to keep wet roads passable. It is not a permanent solution. We are waiting for the rain to stop before carrying out proper repairs. Priority will be given to high-traffic roads before residential areas,” he said.

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Ngala added that delays have also been caused by high demand for specialised machinery across the country following disasters in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, with certain areas prioritised for the use of pothole-patching equipment.

He dismissed claims that the municipality lacks materials.

“We have sufficient resources, but the affected areas are extensive. The city currently has 1 000 tonnes of hot asphalt and 7 000 bags of cold asphalt available,” he said, adding that work is expected to resume towards the end of April.

Meanwhile, some residents in Mbombela and White River say they have lost hope in the municipality’s ability to fully reseal Bosch Street and address long-standing pothole issues.

They argue that several roads, including Old Pretoria Road, Johanna Drive, De Kock Street, parts of Dr Enos Mabuza Drive, and the T-junction at Danie Joubert and Tom Lawrence streets in White River require complete reconstruction as they have reached the end of their lifespan.