After nearly a year of waiting for the metro to fix potholes that had turned Clarina’s roads into safety hazards, residents of the area decided to take matters into their own hands.

Led by Ward 98 councillor Mickey van der Westhuizen, the community came together to repair the potholes themselves, a move that highlights both the power of community action and the frustration with the metro’s lack of response.

Van der Westhuizen said residents had been struggling with the same potholes for more than nine months, despite multiple complaints and escalations to the metro.

“Everyone looked at me because they reported it, I escalated it, but there was no feedback and no one came to rectify the issue.

“Residents should not have to pay for the failure of the metro and their inability to fix infrastructure,” he said.

The councillor explained that after months of unfulfilled promises, residents grew increasingly frustrated.

“Senior 2000 wanted to fix it themselves,” he said, referring to the local retirement village that initially offered to step in.

However, instead of letting the burden fall entirely on private hands, Van der Westhuizen mobilised the community to assist in sourcing materials and equipment for the job.

“I asked residents and the community to assist in getting tar to patch the potholes. The DA Gauteng North reached out to National Asphalt and got 20 bags sponsored, along with 25 bags of bitumen.

“Then I asked if anyone could help with a compactor, and AfriForum North of the Mountain [branch] was eager to assist in that regard.”

Despite these efforts, he confirmed there was no support or feedback from the metro.

The initiative, however, has not gone unnoticed by residents. Many in Clarina have expressed gratitude and admiration for the councillor’s proactive leadership.

Van der Westhuizen said the success of the project shows what communities can achieve when they stand together, but he also stressed that residents should not have to do the municipality’s job.

“It is time we hold the current administration accountable for not doing more. They need to get more teams and better equipment in Region 1. One team cannot service 28 wards.

“The current administration should stop acting like social media influencers and meet me on the ground to discuss issues within the city that can’t be explained in an email,” he said.

Clarina resident Mpho Maleka said potholes have been a long-standing issue in the area.

“We report and we get no feedback. We have to navigate through small holes each day on the road, and this patch by the community is a huge boost for the environment,” said Maleka.

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