DEAR Editor;
I wish to commend Cllr Selvan Chetty for seeking help for the roads within the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) which are the responsibility of the Department of Transport (DoT).
With the exception of the re-laying of the R620 from Shelly Beach to Margate some 10 years ago, they have been neglected and badly repaired ever since.
The competence of the manager of the local branch of the DoT is questionable; I remember asking her some years ago how often she personally inspected the roads under her management and the answer was “never”.
The R620 (Marine Drive) was not mentioned in spite of it also being in a shocking state and being the main “suburban” arterial road.
Closer to home, Cllr Chetty should be doing something about the roads which are RNM’s responsibility, many of which are in an equally shocking state.
The primary cause for tarred roads deteriorating is that the bitumen dries out, crocodile cracks appear and water gains access to the substrate.
Years ago I brought to the municipality’s attention the CSIR’s recommendation that preventative maintenance in the form of a chip and spray be done every six to seven years.
For RNM’s 700+ km of tarred roads this means that the reasonable authority should be budgeting for 100km to be chipped and sprayed annually.
Instead the money has gone in personnel costs which far exceed the recommended 30 to 35% of operational costs.
OLLIVER RANSOME
HAVE YOUR SAY
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