Emergency road upgrade begins on key Hammanskraal route
The heavily damaged road is being restored, with residents noting that earlier repairs could have prevented costly and disruptive rehabilitation work.
After years of a road crumbling and therefore becoming unreliable to the community of Eersterust in Hammanskraal, the Tshwane metro has finally started an emergency rehabilitation project on the critical F4 route.
The intervention, valued at about R3-million, comes as an unbudgeted but urgent response to the severely deteriorated 3.5km stretch of road.
According to MMC for Roads and Transport, Tlangi Mogale, the 34-day programme includes regravelling, proper blading, box cutting, layering of the road foundation, and quality surfacing aimed at restoring safe and reliable access for commuters and public transport operators.
While the project has been welcomed on the ground, it also highlighted the ongoing challenge facing road infrastructure in the northern parts of Pretoria.
At the time of previous large-scale upgrades, the metro had already embarked on a R73-million resurfacing project targeting roads across Hammanskraal, Soshanguve, Mabopane, and Ga-Rankuwa.
That project, which covered 34.5km, was aimed at improving safety and driving conditions, with Hammanskraal allocated just under R27-million.
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed at the time that not all planned work in Hammanskraal could be completed due to unforeseen structural issues.
“Some of the roads required deeper repairs into the pavement layers than initially planned,” said Mashigo.
These complications meant that certain areas, particularly in wards 13 and 73, were left untouched, leaving many residents frustrated as potholes and damaged roads persisted.
Now, the emergency intervention at F4 Eersterust appears to be a direct consequence of those earlier delays and unmet infrastructure needs.
For Hammanskraal residents, the new upgrade is long overdue.
“This road has been a disaster for years. We have been living with dust, potholes, and unsafe conditions. It’s good to see work happening now, but it should have been done long ago,” said Mapitsi Nkadimeng.
Public transport operators, who rely heavily on the route, said the condition of the road has directly impacted their livelihoods.
“I transport children to school using this road. I have spent a lot of money fixing my vehicle because of this road.
“Avoiding it completely will affect my income. This upgrade will help us a lot,” said Godfrey Sebothoma.
The F4 route is a key access road used daily by commuters, taxis, and service vehicles, making its rehabilitation critical to mobility in the area.
Despite the visible progress in Eersterust, frustration remains in other parts of Hammanskraal and neighbouring areas, where residents said road repairs have been inconsistent.
At the time of the R73-million resurfacing project, similar concerns were raised by residents in Soshanguve.
“We duck potholes each day, and we hope that the project will benefit all residents, not just certain areas,” said Kaizer Mahlobo of Block X, Soshanguve.
The metro has previously maintained that road repairs are prioritised based on technical assessments, traffic volumes, and service delivery impact.
Mashigo explained that roads with the highest level of deterioration and safety risk were prioritised.
“Condition assessments revealed severe deterioration in some sections, posing safety risks to motorists and pedestrians,” he said.
He also emphasised that stricter quality control measures were implemented to ensure long-lasting results, including oversight by project managers and engineering consultants.
The current R3-million emergency upgrade in Eersterust underscored the cost of delayed maintenance, with residents agreeing that earlier intervention could have prevented the need for urgent and unplanned spending.
“We must not be overlooked because we are in the far north part of Tshwane. We deserve services just like any other community in the metro.
“We are grateful, but this shows that delays cost more in the end. If they had fixed it earlier, maybe it wouldn’t have needed so much work now,” said Lerato Phasha, a community member.
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