Lusthof residents unhappy over poor road maintenance

Residents of Lusthof/Bultfontein and Pretoria Rural in Wonderboom AH, north of Pretoria, have called on the metro to repair the gravel roads damaged by heavy rain in the area.

According to resident Carika Lemmer, the roads are in a dire state, resembling a disaster zone.
“The continuous degradation of the roads is not only causing inconvenience to the residents but is also resulting in significant damage to vehicles.

“It has become increasingly challenging for motorists to navigate these routes safely,” said Lemmer.

She said residents have complained to the metro for almost a year without a response.

“We have been corresponding with the City of Tshwane since May 2023, with no positive outcome.

“We sent numerous email communications to the Department of Roads and Transport, [and] the Pretoria Regional Manager, but we didn’t receive any feedback regarding the maintenance plan of the roads in our area,” said Lemmer.

Local motorists said their vehicles were being damaged by the roads and it was also preventing emergency vehicles from doing their work properly.

“Residents in our area have expressed deep concern that the deteriorating roads are a massive safety risk.

“As we approach the veld fire season, how will emergency vehicles be able to gain access to fires with the state of our roads?” asked Lemmer.

She said the community is eager to work with the city to find solutions and ensure the roads are restored to a safe and functional state.

“Transparency and communication regarding road maintenance plans and timelines are crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents,” said Lemmer.

Resident Peter Smith said metro officials have ignored their calls for better roads.

“I have changed wheel bearings and CV joints twice since December.

“Something needs to be done because we are tired of these kinds of roads in this area.”

Smith told Rekord the roads were in better shape before, but heavy rain and trucks ruined them.

Another resident, Koos van der Wat, said the roads also are a hazard for school children riding bikes to schools.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the metro has monthly programmes to grade gravel roads.

“The region to which the area in question falls is situated in the north eastern side of the city and has 13 wards consisting of a road network of 1 233km of gravel roads or unsurfaced roads,” said Mashigo.

He said the area consists of a large part of mainly gravel roads, with no storm water drainage system.

“The inclement weather conditions and heavy axle loading of vehicles or trucks are the main causes of rapid deterioration of gravel roads,” said Mashigo.

He said due to the size of the road network, the city is unable to grade all streets within a short period due to limited resources.

“Some of the gravel roads are corrugated, while the soil is eroded on the other roads due to inclement weather conditions and heavy axle loading of vehicles/trucks.

“These are the main causes of the rapid deterioration of our gravel roads. It should be stated that not all roads are in poor condition, as gravelling maintenance services are provided as and when required with the limited resources available,” said Mashigo.

He said records show that 376km of roads was maintained from May 2023 to date.

The region will continue to provide gravelling service and prioritise roads according to damage severity.

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