It’s confirmed, lack of funds is at the core of the City of Ekurhuleni Roads Department’s service delivery crisis, while Covid-19 lockdown is blamed for fuelling the prevailing situation.
According to the metro, the City’s roads department budget to maintain or upgrade roads had been slashed by 75%, a move that has been scapegoated for the significant delays to repair defects on the City’s road network.
The dwindling resources to carry out routine maintenance has led to stuttering service delivery, which saw many roads turning into a serious public hazard.
Metro spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini, said apart from the slashed budget, rotating staff as a result of Covid-19 exacerbated the service delivery interruptions, particularly the turnaround time to respond to service delivery-related complaints.
Investigation
Following a series of complaints about the state of local roads and stuttering service delivery, the Advertiser recently carried out an assessment of the busiest major local roads.
The findings indicated that a number of roads across the City are poorly maintained.
In some areas, road users are forced to put up with potholes, cracked road surfaces and bear non-existent road markings and signs.
Affected major roads in Boksburg include Main Reef Road, Pretoria Road, North Rand Road, Paul Smith Road, Rietfontein Road and many others.
Ward 33 councillor Ashley Hoods stated that a number of roads in his ward are substandard and they are, according to an assessment done by the City’s consultants, in desperate need of urgent repairs or reconstruction.
Hoods pointed out that the lousy road maintenance carried out at minimal cost has resulted in officials taking longer than the reasonable amount of time to correct major defects on the City’s road network.
Metro responds
This publication reached out to the metro for comment, and here is what it had to say:
Is the lack of adequate road markings among the factors contributing to road accidents? Road safety depends on many factors; road marking is only one factor of many factors that are not related to road marking. The City is doing what is reasonably possible under the circumstances to ensure road safety.
How often is the quality of the City’s road network markings assessed? Quarterly, unfortunately, due to the constrained budget, it’s difficult to cover the whole area.
When will the metro address the issue of road markings that fall below minimum standards, especially those that are either barely visible or need immediate replacement?
Madeley Road was re-painted on October 9 and the intersection of Pretoria Road and Main Reef Road will be re-painted before October 20. With regard to Field Road from Main Reef Road to Pretoria Road, more funds will be requested in the mid-year budget adjustment during January 2022.
Is it true that budget for roads maintenance had been slashed? If yes, please explain why are road markings not given priority? The budget was cut by 75% due to the situation presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Badly maintained roads are costing lives, millions of rand
Between January 2020 and January 2021, Auto & General Insurance has noticed a spike of 47% in tyre and rim claims, raising the question of whether poor road maintenance is to blame.
Steep claim increases were observed in Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga.
“Badly maintained roads are a serious concern. One bad patch of the road could lead to punctures, tyre bulges, bad wheel alignment and balancing, uneven tyre wear, cracked rims, damaged undercarriage, damaged tyre walls and blowouts, which could very well cost you your life,” said Ricardo Coetzee, head of Auto & General Insurance.
Meanwhile, Saied Solomons, president of the South African Road Federation recently stated that roads that are not timeously and properly maintained are costing South Africa millions, with costs soaring even higher when a lack of maintenance sees a road rapidly deteriorating to the point of requiring total road rehabilitation.
“Other knock-on effects that add to the real cost of poorly maintained roads include frequent vehicle repairs, higher transportation costs, bottlenecks on busy routes and more.”
Here is how to drive safely on poorly maintained roads
Auto & General share their guidelines for driving on poorly maintained roads:
Your vehicle:
• Proactive maintenance: Make sure that your car is checked and serviced regularly. A vehicle that is 100 per cent ready to light up, steer around or meet challenging road surfaces are the best first line of defence.
• On spec: Make sure that the wheels and tyres that you fit match the manufacturer’s specification and that tyres are properly inflated to create an adequate cushion between the vehicle’s rims and the road surface.
• Profile carefully: Low profile tyres may give a vehicle a sportier look, but reduce the space between the rim and the road surface. Fit tyres that are in the ‘Goldilocks zone’ between being sporty, offering comfort and protecting against rough road surfaces. Ideally, opt for tyres with rim protectors.
• Emergency kit: Make sure that your vehicle is equipped with the basic wheel changing tools and safety equipment.
Your driving:
• Be alert: Always be fully aware of your surroundings, including road signs and technology that alert you to hazards.
• Heavy loads, rough roads: Be careful when using a road or lane used by heavy motor vehicles, as these typically deteriorate faster.
• Cuts like a knife: Be wary of steep road shoulders and surfaces with sharp debris, especially where they can damage the less robust sidewall of a tyre.
• Slow it down: Reducing speed could give you vital time to react to obstacles and other vehicles making sudden movements.
• Undercover threats: When it rains, water could easily hide a pothole or debris. The same goes for roads that are badly lit. Slow down and be extra cautious.
• Brake and steer smart: If you can’t avoid hitting a pothole or bad road surface, apply the brakes before the hazard, but let up as you’re about to make contact. This helps to limit damage and also reduces the risk of losing control of the vehicle.
Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and avoid making excessive steering changes.
In the event of a potentially damaging incident or accident:
• Don’t assume that it’s just minor damage. Stop when it is safe to do so to make sure.
• Switch on your hazard lights and, if possible and legal, pull into the emergency lane.
• Make sure that your vehicle remains visible – make use of your emergency triangle.
• Call emergency services and your insurer for assistance.
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