Fix the potholes, Mams residents plead
The potholes on the road were so big that they damaged vehicles shocks and caused flat tyres.
Drivers and motorists are refusing to use a pothole-riddled street in the east of Mamelodi.
The potholes on Mohwelere Road are so big according to residents that they damage cars and cause flat tyres.
A local taxi driver, Peter Baloyi, said he was continuously fighting with his passengers because he didn’t want to use Mowhelere Road. He said the road damaged his taxi.
“To operate on this road for days, you will soon hear strange sounds coming from your taxi. Your vehicle’s shocks quickly wear out and many drivers also complain about flat tyres on the road,” said Baloyi.
Many taxi drivers and motorists have resorted to taking alternate routes.
However, passengers are not happy because this means they cannot get to their destinations in extension 6 directly.
Resident of ext. 6 Patricia Ringani, said the potholes also caused traffic in the morning because motorists and taxi drivers were driving slowly over the potholes.
She said many people are complaining about arriving late to work and demanded to know when the Tshwane metro will fix the road.
“The problem with potholes has been there for quite some time now. Every day the situation is getting worse, as the potholes are growing bigger,” said Ringani.
“Motorists and taxi drivers used to pay volunteers to fix potholes in the area, but they are no longer there because the potholes are growing almost every day,” she said.
Ringani said the potholes affect everyone.
Local ward councillor Dorcas Maja said the budget to fix Mohwelere Road had been approved and the project to fix the road would start in a few weeks’ time.
“The good news with the road repair project is that it will create job opportunities for unemployed locals,” said Maja.
She said it’s a huge project because the road needs to be fixed from scratch due to the large number of potholes.
“The first budget to fix the road was later returned because the money was only enough to resurface the road and it needed to be fixed”.
Maja concluded to say the public was informed about the road project during a recent public meeting that was held at Phomolong informal settlement next to extension 6, Mamelodi East.
Other issues that were discussed at the meeting was the relocation process and infrastructure in Phomolong.
Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said Mohwelere Road must be completely rehabilitated as there had been a lot of water seeping underground.
This was due to illegal water connections parallel to the road coupled with illegal car washes.
“A report has been completed. A project plan, which includes the cost to rehabilitate by both our construction and resurfacing teams, has been finalized. An update will be issued,” he said.
He concluded that the normal procedure of fixing potholes should be done within 72 hours upon reporting it.
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