A large pothole at the corner of Lynnwood and Duxbury roads near the University of Pretoria has been repaired after AfriForum’s neighbourhood team and AfriForum Youth Tuks stepped in to address what they described as a long-standing safety risk.

The initiative was driven by students from the University of Pretoria through the AfriForum Youth Tuks branch after potholes in and around the campus, Brooklyn and Hatfield had remained unattended for several months.

One of the potholes on Duxbury Road resulted in a section of the road being closed for an extended period, causing traffic congestion and posing a danger to both motorists and pedestrians.

AfriForum district co-ordinator for Pretoria, Maree van den Berg, said the intervention aimed to improve safety where service delivery had fallen short.

“Road maintenance remains the responsibility of the City of Tshwane. AfriForum’s involvement is not a replacement for municipal duties, but rather an intervention to ensure community safety where service delivery has fallen short,” said Van den Berg.

The repair took place on April 9, when AfriForum’s neighbourhood team and members of AfriForum Youth Tuks repaired a large pothole at the busy intersection.

Van den Berg said the project required about 3.5 tons of tar and involved about 10 people working continuously throughout the day.

According to Van den Berg, the pothole was properly prepared before being repaired to ensure durability.

“The team cleaned the area, cut the edges around the pothole, levelled the surface and applied a primer before filling it with tar. The repair was then compacted using plate compactors.”

Van den Berg said the method used ensures a long-lasting repair and added that any defects that may arise will be addressed.

The organisation also identified additional potholes in the surrounding areas, including Brooklyn and Hatfield, but prioritised the Duxbury and Lynnwood intersection due to the size of the pothole and the risk it posed to road users.

Residents in the surrounding areas were invited to participate in the project and were provided with a link to identify potholes in their neighbourhoods.

“Some members of the public also contributed through donations to support the initiative,” said Van den Berg.

She said they repair thousands of potholes across Pretoria annually through the involvement of members and volunteers, with a focus on improving road safety in communities, including Pretoria east.

“These initiatives are made possible through AfriForum’s members contributing each month. We therefore invite residents of Pretoria to also become members, so that AfriForum can continue with this work through our neighbourhood teams and volunteer branches,” Van den Berg said.

Residents are also urged to join AfriForum’s larger Pretoria east branch to help identify and repair potholes in their areas through community-driven initiatives.

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