DEAR Editor,-
I see in the last issue of The Herald that the Hibiscus Coast Municipality has announced its intention to seek a loan of R300 million to fix our roads. We, the KZN South Coast Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association, have known about this for some time.
When we were first told, we asked what this amount was based on and were informed by the previous director responsible that a detailed survey of our roads had been done. Despite repeated requests to see the survey, it never appeared and subsequent events have cast serious doubts on its existence.
Both the mayor and the municipal manager have, on several occasions, said that “all our roads have reached the end of their natural lives”. We have approximately 750 kms of black-topped roads in the HCM district and the cost per km to rehabilitate is about R2 million. This would indicate that the amount required is not R300 million, but R1.5 billion?
Something is wrong and I believe that the public (on whom the burden of repayment of the loan will fall) needs to see a detailed business or engineering plan regarding how this money will be used.
Lastly, reference to the CSIR’s recommendations on preventing potholes will reveal the absolute necessity for regular (every six to eight years) preventive maintenance in the form of slurry seals and/or chip and spraying.
Up to 10 years ago this was being done, but our roads are now in the condition we find them because the previous municipal manager summarily stopped this practice in spite of contrary advice from road engineer Gert Brits, who was then the manager responsible. Any plan to rehabilitate our roads must include an annual budget for preventative maintenance.
OLLIVER RANSOME
Vice-Chairman, KZNSCRRA
