Read more
WATCH: Massive pothole ‘humbles’ six cars
SA has a serious pothole problem with over 25 million craters across the country, causing billions in damages and threatening motorists' lives.
The size of the massive pothole in Bosmont compared to the tyres of a horse and trailer. Photo: Shaun Holland
A massive pothole in Maraisburg, which has not been repaired for reportedly almost a year, has caused extensive damage to several cars.
TikTok user Skidmarks, run by Shaun Holland, shared the video of the massive crater on a wet Friday evening.
The pothole is located in the left-hand lane on the Maraisburg Road, heading towards Bosmont and very close to the freeway.
@skidmarks.co.za Be careful in the rain guys 🌧 #fyp #foryou #carsoftiktok #southafrica #johannesburg #potholes #skidmarksza ♬ original sound – skidmarks.co.za
Damages
In the video, which has since gone viral, Holland explains that he went to the area to assist a friend who had already “hit the pothole”.
“Her tyre burst and while we have been standing here, another six cars went in the pothole and they all got tyre bursts as well.
“Two of them have been towed by roadside assist and the rest are waiting in the Caltex to make a plan,” Holland said.
ALSO READ: WATCH: South Africa needs a minister of potholes
Warning
Holland also spoke to an individual whose car suffered damage to two tyres and a motorcyclist who almost lost control of the bike he was riding.
“Are you okay my man? I saw you went up in the air.”
Holland, who copied the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) on his video, urged motorists to be careful when driving along the road as the pothole can cause severe damage to the car.
By Monday, the pothole had still not been repaired.
Pothole problem
South Africa has a serious pothole problem which cause extensive car damage and also threaten the lives of motorists.
In October last year, former president of the South African Roads Federation, Mutshutshu Nxumalo, claimed there were more than 25 million potholes on South Africa’s roads.
The number was also 10 million more than reported in 2017, an increase of 67% in five years.
According to the African National Roads Agency (Sanral), Nxumalo’s figure would represent an average of 149 potholes per kilometre of a 168 000km of paved roads, which would be “improbable and unlikely”.
Insurance claims
In a survey conducted last year by insurance company Dialdirect revealed that pothole related claims shot up by 15%, while inquires involving damaged tyres rose by 9% compared to 2021.
Additionally, the report found that the rate of pothole presence had gone up by 10 million since 2017, and that Pietermaritzburg (in KwaZulu-Natal) had been the worst affected with around 21% of claims coming from the city.
Vala Zonke
In August last year, the Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula rolled out Vala Zonke, what the Department of Transport called a 16-month labour intensive programme, spearheaded by Sanral to address the craters in the country.
The campaign by the Transport Department allows motorists, through the Sanral Pothole App, to report craters on roads.
“The Vala Zonke programme is targeting the potholes in the main roads and regional roads. The president has directed me that I must launch this project nationally and I must go and work with the private sector and anyone else [willing to participate], and then also bring the necessary skill in terms of closing potholes,” Mbalula said at the time.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Mbalula aka Mr Fix rolls out pothole plan to save your tyres
