Worsening roadways frustrate Olievenhoutbosch motorists

Despite the metro acknowledging the need to resurfacing roadways in Olievenhoutbosch last month, many motorists are finding it difficult to navigate the area due to its problematic conditions such as potholes.

The metro acknowledged the poor road conditions in parts of Olievenhoutbosch, saying that certain identified areas were deemed high-risk and urgently need repair.

Motorists and councillors spoke to Rekord about the deteriorating and unsafe state of roads in the township.

They said motorists and pedestrians were forced to navigate damaged and uneven streets.

Kagiso Mofokeng, a resident who drives on Samrand Road daily, described the road’s condition as appalling.

“This road is a nightmare. Every time I drive here, I’m dodging potholes and cracks,” he said.

Mofokeng expressed frustration that residents have raised concerns for years, but the repairs remain temporary.

He said the ongoing cycle of patching and re-patching has failed to resolve the core problem.

City councillors have also voiced concern about the long-term impact of poor road maintenance.

Councillor Thembeni Thabatha said Samrand Road is now in such poor condition that it needs to be completely rebuilt.

He added that several other roads, including Thulasizwe Street, Destiny Street, Mafahla Street, and Nomzamo Street are also in an unacceptable state.

Councillor Kenneth Masha highlighted that the condition of roads in extensions 25 and 26 is particularly concerning.

@nasiphim please help, this is a road in Olievenhoutbosch Extension 26,next to Olieven Secondary School, learners walk on this road daily and it’s full of water, I have raised this with the councilor many times, but my cry fell on deaf ears, schools just opened and no action 💔💔 pic.twitter.com/ubvJtr3Ckn

— 🖤Thobile🖤 (@Mis_Thobile) July 23, 2025

“All streets in extensions 25 and 26 are in a poor and deteriorating condition,” he said.

Noluthando Mbengo, who has been an Olievenhoutbosch resident for nearly ten years, said poor road conditions have become a daily burden.

“You can’t drive on some streets without swerving to avoid deep potholes or damaged tar,” she said.

Can you please provide a TLB to open a road at olievenhoutbosch ext 60.Exact address sdumo side there has never been a road for ten years. We going under powerlines on the hijacking trail for powerlines yet we are on serviced stands pic.twitter.com/4JTOkYTz31

— Mkumbavathu (@SamboEvidence) February 26, 2025

“It’s worse when it rains, because water fills the holes, and you never know how deep they are until your car gets stuck.”

Mbengo said if the city follows through on its resurfacing promises, it will make a meaningful difference in the community.

She added that improved roads would make it safer for children to walk to school, reduce taxi breakdowns, and allow ambulances to reach residents more quickly.

Metro spokesperson, Lindela Mashigo, said the city’s official road assessment confirmed varying road conditions in Olievenhoutbosch.

“Findings of the assessment revealed road conditions ranging from good to poor, reactive maintenance is carried out as and when service requests are registered,” he said.

Over the past six months, the city has received 64 service requests related to road issues in Olievenhoutbosch.

“Some roads were resurfaced in May and June, and the latest pothole repairs were carried out on July 16,” he added.

Mashigo identified Samrand and Waterberg Roads as the most severely damaged and in urgent need of attention.

He emphasised that the metro prioritises roads that pose safety hazards or generate a high volume of complaints.

In May, the metro announced that Olievenhoutbosch was one of the high-priority areas selected for its new Road Resurfacing Programme for the 2024/25 financial year.

MMC for Roads and Transport, Tlangi Mogale, said there was a programme which aims to tackle widespread road problems across the city.

“By resurfacing roads now, the city avoids higher future costs, enhances safety for all road users, reduces vehicle operating costs, and ensures smoother, more efficient transport,” she said.

These Rehabilitation projects will be rolled out in the following areas;

Soshanguve, Mabopane, Garankuwa, Hammanskral and Olievenhoutbosch are all included🇿🇦

As promised to our residents 🙏🏾🇿🇦 MMC Roads & Transport Tshwane update pic.twitter.com/7uIGrqojaj

— Tlangi Mogale: CoT MMC for Roads&Transport 🇿🇦 (@tlangimich) April 29, 2025

Mogale said through this programme, she visited Ward 39 in Soshanguve South on May 8 to officially launch it and inspect one of the first resurfacing sites.

“We engaged with the contractor on site, assessed the initial phases of implementation, and reaffirmed the city’s commitment to delivering quality road infrastructure that improves mobility, safety, and service delivery in local communities.”

She said five contractors were appointed to implement the project across regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.

“These include areas such as Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve, Mabopane, Winterveldt, Hammanskraal, Lynnwood, Mamelodi, and Olievenhoutbosch.

“All these areas have been identified as high-priority due to severe road degradation,” she added.

@nasiphim @CityTshwane This is was is left of the tar road in olievenhoutbosch Motolo street. Its really getting worse and no one seems to care within the municipality we need assistance here. pic.twitter.com/LqPpK9Dq4I

— Dee (@DinahMo2Kh) January 11, 2025

Mogale added that the resurfacing project began in early May and was scheduled to finish by the end of June.

She explained that the metro uses a scientific, data-driven tool called the Pavement Management System to determine which roads should be resurfaced first.

She appealed to residents to cooperate during construction and assured them that every effort would be made to reduce disruptions.

The programme was welcomed by some residents, who said it brought hope after years of neglect.

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