“… I read the news today, oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all…”– A Day in the Life – The Beatles (1967)
Penned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album in the late 1960’s, legend has it this verse was inspired by a newspaper article read by Lennon in the UK Daily Express on January 17, 1967, literally referring to 4000 potholes counted by the Blackburn Roads Surveyor.
If Lennon were alive today, one perhaps wonders what musical masterpiece he might compose when faced with Vryheid’s pothole situation…
Vryheid’s potholes have long been a bone of contention, with residents and motorists alike finding very little respite from having to dodge and weave between the craters and cavities that blemish our roads like an emblem of complacency and neglect.
While some residents bide their time waiting for the municipality to carry out the necessary repairs to the roads, there are those who are tired of waiting and take action by filling the pestilent potholes themselves.
Concerned for clients visiting the pharmacy, Bettie Meyer went about collecting bricks and gravel to fill the pothole that threatened to damage vehicles making use of the driveway at Glutz Centre. Assisted by two other staff members, she eventually managed to fill the gaping hole in the driveway as a makeshift solution until the municipality takes action.
Those who reside or commute in the CBD area will see some relief from the pothole plague in the near future, as plans to repair are currently underway and, according to Ward 8 councillor, Magda Viktor, the CBD area is at the top of the pothole repair priority list, with the busier roads being attended to first.
“I have set the priority list,” states Magda Viktor. “Although they do not reach daily what I’d like them to, sometimes it takes longer, sometimes it’s quicker, the list is in place…”
“Every person is responsible for reporting to the municipality or their councillor, or me,” she adds. “I don’t mind if it is another ward. A danger zone is a danger zone…”
To report potholes to Councillor Viktor, send a photo of the pothole, as well as the nearest street address and your contact details to Magda Viktor on 083 443 0870.
