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You are at:Home»NEWS»An old, dusty road that needs renewal
NEWS

An old, dusty road that needs renewal

For years, Myoli Street in Vukani has been undriveable to all bar those with nerves of steel
Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailFebruary 16, 2023Updated:February 16, 2023No Comments3 Mins Read
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Myoli Street in Vukani - the site of many stranded cars and household fences damaged by vehicles who have tried to avoid the deep pothole. Photo: 'Odidi Mata-Sigudla.

by ‘ODIDI MATA-SIGUDLA

“Where do I start when I talk about the road? Because when we talk about the road, we talk about
something that does not exist,” Wandisile Dingana, a local mechanic from Vukani, says with a
dejected, far-off look.

Dingana sighed when speaking to Grocott’s Mail. “You fix the cars now and again, we’re talking about bolt joints, shock absorbers. If you take your car for wheel alignment today, it will take a day or two for the potholes to hit it out of alignment. We have no roads in Grahamstown” he said.

Wandisile Dingana of Myoli Street in Vukani. Photo: ‘Odidi Mata-Sigudla.


Ward Nine in Vukani is home to people like Neliswa Selani who have lived here since 1993 when
construction of houses, plumbing and roads first started.

The paved road in Vukani never reached anywhere near Myoli Street, which is the busiest street, particularly for learner transport.

Grocott’s Mail visited the street on 14 February to get residents’ reactions to the news that Makana municipality had failed to spend R21.6 million in public funds that was earmarked for roads and other infrastructure.

Neliswa Selani of Myoli Street, Vukani. Photo: Thapelo Matlala.

Selani said the community of Vukani had even discussed the poor roads in a meeting where Executive Mayor Yandiswa Vara was present.

“I was the one to ask them to come down with their cars and see if they can drive on this road, but they never came” said Selani.

These roads are worse than potholed

Nikiwe Phaphu recounts a story about how some cars have almost crashed in the deep ditch in Myoli Street. She had to assist the drivers by gathering young men to push the cars out. “The road is in no condition to be used,” she said.

Nikiwe Phaphu of Myoli Street in Vukani. Photo: ‘Odidi Mata-Sigudla.

Selani offers a last statement. Discouraged she says: “I don’t know, I don’t know what we must do.”

“They are killing us”

Vukani resident and religious leader and Makana Citizens’ Front Milo Geelbooi said there is only one functioning road in Vukani.

“The only road that is ok here is the paved road. All the other roads are bad, especially the roads that run between the houses. You cannot drive on those roads at all on rainy days. People have to leave their cars at home. The dirt roads leading off Raglan Road are particularly bad. Yet there is R21.6 million for roads that the municipality failed to use! Why did the muicipality not use that to fix our roads?” Geelbooi asked.

Makana Citizens’ Front councillor, Reverend Milo Geelbooi of Vukani, Makhanda. Photo: MCF.

He added that car drivers from Vukani had to change their shock absorbers and tyres almost every month because of the poor condition of the roads, which also affected the front suspension on vehicles.

(At the time of publishing, Makana municipality had not responded to questions from Grocott’s Mail. This story will be updated when comment is received).

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