Potholes are costing business millions
Potholes in areas of the city that have been left unrepaired in spite of complaints, are now the cause of a business owner losing money and customers.
POLOKWANE – Potholes in areas of the city that have been left unrepaired in spite of complaints, are now the cause of a business owner losing money and customers.
Marlene Bronkhorst, owner of Bronkhorst Crane Hire said when it came to crane hire, customers were spoilt for choice. The inevitably choose the company that is the most accessible to them. “When customers have difficulty reaching us because their Mercedes Benz simply can’t negotiate the potholes in Chroom Street, they go somewhere else that is easier to reach,” she said.
She said losing out on a new crane hire contract meant she was losing a lot of money. “Depending on the size of the contract, I am losing out on hundreds of thousands of rands, sometimes even as much as R1 million,” she said.
“This affects my turnover in the long run. If it keeps getting worse, some business owners will lose their entire businesses, which will affect the economy and families of both the owners and employees who will be left without an income,” Bronkhorst said.
She and some other business owners who are experiencing the same problem, will be contacting the mayor as a matter of urgency in this regard.
Municipal head of communication, Tidimalo Chuene, could not be reached for comment by the time of going to print, despite several attempts.
Matters regarding roads and potholes can be reported at (015) 290 2372.
