Shared effort restores public infrastructure in Nieuw Muckleneuk
The community and Tshwane came together to tackle service delivery challenges such as broken streetlights and potholes.
Nieuw Muckleneuk residents are taking matters into their own hands to address crumbling infrastructure, working alongside Tshwane metro to fix potholes and restore broken streetlights.
Through the SoM Precinct Community Upliftment Precinct (CUP), residents like Willem Odendaal have joined forces with the metro in a partnership aimed at uplifting the area.
Odendaal said they have 280 streetlights in the area, but only 15 of them are working.
He explained that after putting pressure on the metro, they finally repaired about 100.
“However, there are still about 120 lights that need attention,” Odendaal said.
The CUP has also tackled potholes, which have long frustrated motorists.
Odendaal said the metro fixed damaged sections in Dey Street, but many problem areas remain on busy roads such as Middel Street, Francis Ribeiro Avenue and Fehrsen Street.
He added that they mapped out all the potholes that needed to be repaired in the precinct and presented it to the metro.
According to Odendaal, the metro agreed to take responsibility for the main roads that are the busiest during peak hours.
To bridge the gap, the CUP funded repairs in secondary streets.
“We appointed a contractor to fix potholes in Tram, Long and Veal streets,” he said, noting that the repairs cost them about R29 000, and covered about 40 potholes.
“It took two days to complete the work, thanks to great co-operation from the community.”
Odendaal added that the contractor was chosen for this quality work, having repaired potholes in critical areas like airports.
“We didn’t want a quick fix where the holes reopen in a week. The repairs meet council standards, as required.”
A road in Nieuw Muckleneuk after being patched up with asphalt.
Nieuw Muckleneuk resident patching a pothole.
With the metro’s new financial year having started on July 1, Odendaal hopes that the metro will prioritise completing the outstanding repairs.
“We will have to keep putting pressure on them.”
He said the previous financial year’s budget constraints delayed some work. However, in this new financial year, he said they can’t afford to let things slide.
Oddendaal added that poor roads and broken lights affect safety and the value of their properties, but the CUP is now running a marketing campaign to encourage more property owners to contribute funds for ongoing projects.
“If the community pulls together, we can make a difference. However, the metro also needs to play its part,” Odendaal said.
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