Sanral paid out nearly R16 million to motorists for pothole damage

Potholes on national roads have led the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) to pay out nearly R16 million.

This was revealed by Transport Minister Barbara Creecy in response to a parliamentary question from Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana.

Gana inquired about the total number of claims filed against the Department of Transport over the last three financial years, including the total value of these claims and the amount paid to motorists who suffered vehicle damage.

Pothole damage claims

In the reply, Creecy explained that Sanral was responsible for claims related to potholes on the national roads such as the N1, N2 and N12, while provinces and municipalities were directly responsible for claims related to potholes on municipal roads.

“Therefore, no claims have been lodged directly against the Department of Transport,” she said.

According to Creecy, Sanral paid a total of R15.7 million (R15 710 638.04) to 116 claimants for vehicle damage caused by potholes on national roads.

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In the 2022/2023 financial year, the agency received 53 claims and paid over R1 million (R1 184 576.53) to affected motorists.

Sanral paid out R874 838.03 in response to 36 claims during 2023/2024.

The amount increased significantly the following year, with over R13 million paid out to motorists from just 27 claims.

“Some claims from the northern region have no amounts provided,” Creecy said.

Increase in amounts paid out

Meanwhile, Rise Mzansi expressed concern that although the number of claims has decreased over the past two years, the amounts paid out have risen significantly.

“Potholes on the country’s national roads can, in part, be directly linked to the collapse of the rail network and an increased number of trucks on the roads used to move goods and services to and from the country’s ports,” Gana said in a statement on Sunday.

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The MP also pointed out that potholes pose a danger to commuters and contribute to higher business costs.

“At the next available opportunity, I will ask the minister of transport to brief the [Parliament’s] Portfolio Committee on work being done to deal with potholes, and other road damage, that are the result of poor workmanship and/or the growing number of trucks using the national road network,” Gana added.

Potholes on municipal roads

Potholes are most frequently found on rural roads, particularly those connecting smaller towns, where maintenance is managed by local authorities.

For damage claims related to municipal roads, road users must reach out to the specific municipality or the Department of Public Works to find out the required steps and submit the necessary documentation.

This process can be time-consuming, as it depends on the efficiency of the municipality.

Claimants must demonstrate that the damage resulted from a specific pothole at a particular location and involved a specific vehicle to prove that their claim is not insurance fraud, according to Arrive Alive.

“It is also important to show that there are not two claims for the same damage – so you may not claim from both your insurer and the insurer from the road works company.”

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