Municipality fails to fix potholes

SECUNDA – It seems as though the potholes in Secunda, Trichardt and Evander are here to stay because the Govan Mbeki Municipality does not have the money to fix most of the roads.

Potholes have caused damage to residents’ vehicles.

Ms Tarnia Baker, councillor, has sent numerous letters to the Govan Mbeki Municipality, but to no avail.

“I did not even get an acknowledgement of receipt, let alone a response,” said Ms Baker.

In her letter, she asked the municipality to submit a full maintenance plan schedule for the roads in the entire Govan Mbeki municipal area at the next Council meeting.

The Ridge Times and the Echo asked the head of Marketing and Communications of the municipality, Mr Henry Masango, for comment and why the municipality did not respond to Ms Baker’s letters.

Mr Masango responded with: “Councillor Baker is an elected public representative, affording her a platform to raise whatever issues or concerns emanating from her constituency; also she is privy to the happenings in the municipality.

“Thus I do not think that you are competent enough to ask questions on Ms Baker’s behalf, unless you are the appointed medium of the DA.

“Our apologies to the community for the municipality not being able to promptly attend to this challenge.

“The municipality began receiving the ordered hot sulphate in the first week of February and patchwork has begun, especially on the main routes.

“Most of these roads have surpassed their life span and will have to be redone, but due to insufficient funding this will not be possible in the near future.”