Makana municipality has asked property developers to join forces with the municipality in repairing some of the city's worst potholes.
Makana municipality has asked property developers to join forces with the municipality in repairing some of the city's worst potholes.
Thembinkosi Myalato, director of Infrastructure and Technical Services for Makana, pledged this week that Makana Municipality would patch up the many potholes around the city once the municipality's financial situation has improved.
"We are trying to come up with a quick fix solution to make the roads drivable while we wait for our financial situation to improve," Myalato said in a telephone interview with Grocott's Mail.
The interview came after a concerned resident told Grocott's about the appalling state at the intersection at Miles and Knowling streets.
Myalato said residents can expect the road to be fixed before the end of the week. He said he met with property developers in the area last week to ask them to join forces with the municipality to fix the road and promised that the municipality would fix potholes in many roads around the city.
"My team is busy sourcing material while we look for a permanent solution, which will be determined by funds," he said.
"We also had a planning meeting where we came up with an idea of going out every week and fix potholes around the city."
Currie Park resident Talitha Berriman told Grocott's Tuesday that the intersection of Miles and Knowling roads had become a high accident zone and was damaging cars.
"The road is horrible and the potholes cut tyres," she said.
"Just last night a car burst a tyre and had to be towed after it hit a pot hole." The car was a 4×4 Land Rover Discovery.
Berriman said the potholes were made worse by a leaking water pipe nearby. She said although she has reported the matter to the municipality on numerous occasions over a period of five years, the pipe remains unfixed. Myalato said the water doesn't come from a pipe leakage but from storm water.
"We are going to come up with a storm water management system," he said.
"We will build a channel so that water doesn't run over the road." However, Berriman said the municipality is not entirely to blame for the terrible state of the roads because contractors building in the area played a role in the problem, especially their heavy trucks.
"The road was in a perfect condition until some developments like the Kingsview (Estate) and others," she said, adding that she took the matter up with various contractors but no one wants to own up.
"It is a disgrace. We don’t know what to do any more and which way to turn for help. No assistance or feedback from Makana is forthcoming.
"I even went to the traffic department and asked them to close the road but they told me it was not their decision to make," she said.
Makana municipal spokesperson Yoliswa Ramokolo confirmed that a complaint was lodged.
"We have received the complaint and we are looking into the matter. We forwarded it to the deputy director of Roads, Water and Santation who will follow up."
