NEWCASTLE KZN: R34 has motorists ‘at the edge of their seats’
"I am sure I am not the only person finding the state of the road to be horrific..."
An attempt to secure urgent intervention from the Free State Department of Transport has gone ignored.
This is according to resident, Riana Hellerle who said she hit a ‘specifically deep pothole’ on the R34 (Memel road) recently, which had her on the edge of her seat. She believes the make of her vehicle, an SUV, spared her from harm.
“I did see other motorists stuck along the road,” she explained.
Riana said that considering the taxes and petrol costs paid by motorists, travelling on a road which is safe and maintained by government was surely a right.
She has attempted to have the Free State Department of Roads intervene and undertake urgent repairs to the R34, but to date has not even received acknowledgement of her message.
“I am sure I am not the only person finding the state of the road to be horrific, but I might the only one willing to go through the hassle of complaining to a government department.”
A Memel resident since 1996, Johann du Toit said the road has always been in a bad state and just keeps deteriorating.
Despite the efforts of a group of businessmen and politicians, who travelled to the Free State seven or so years ago to ‘force government’s hand’, he believes the repair work was not done correctly.
“The layer of tar on top is very thin and we could have foreseen this happening again. It really is bad. The long and short of it is, the road is not built correctly. It can’t handle the amount of cars, especially heavy-duty vehicles, using the road.”
The Newcastle Advertiser posted on social media recently, asking residents for their comments on the R34:
Neil-Shoba Singh – “The Memel Road is a death trap. Repairs to the road was done a few years back but it has now become worse than before. The amount of accidents and deaths that are occurring on this road calls for serious, permanent and urgent intervention. I will not advise anyone to travel this road rather use an alternate route.”
Victor Edwin McLeod – “This road is a death trap with all the potholes and poor condition of the road, I travel this road to get to jo-berg and on my last trip late 2020 this road is horrific, a death trap for all who travel it, the accidents speak for themselves.”
Mashenge Mkhonza – “R34 Memel Road is more than the word horrible. You cant even [swerve] your car there are potholes all the way.”
Cat Burnard – “It’s very bad to see that road in that way… When it rains.. You don’t see them.. And at night☝️. To many accidents.. Also part due to speed!”
For more comments, visit the Newcastle Advertiser Facebook page.
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