VRYHEID KZN: Pesky potholes still not patched on P289
“We live and drive on that road every day, and this road has been in a shocking condition for years now. There have been numerous requests by people living in the area to get the authorities to repair the road, but these requests fall on deaf ears.”
In the month of June, complaints poured in from Vryheid residents about the massive potholes in Stillwater Road (P289), which is the road that forms an artificial link between Vryheid and eDumbe town. This road is under Ward 9 of AbaQulusi Local Municipality and many people use it on a daily basis. It is mainly used by farmers who are involved in plantations; the transportation of goods in the area; and for livestock farming activities.
The gaping potholes are a huge hindrance to road-users… Statistics show that potholes are hazards that can puncture one’s tyres or bend a wheel, and can also cause accidents due to drivers losing control of their vehicles upon hitting a pothole. A concerned citizen of Vryheid once gave a comment regarding the P289 potholes, saying, “We live and drive on that road every day, and this road has been in a shocking condition for years now. There have been numerous requests by people living in the area to get the authorities to repair the road, but these requests fall on deaf ears.”
Seeing all the complaints that were coming in, the Vryheid Herald decided to send an enquiry earlier this year to the Department of Transport. A report that was received stated that “The internal team will start on July 1, 2021, doing patching on the potholes that were identified during the inspection, although during the inspection, it is clear that the base of this road is badly damaged which might make it very challenging to patch with an internal team.” After July 1, a Vryheid Herald journalist took a drive to the Stillwater Road to do a follow-up. The journalist saw that only warning signs (warning about the huge potholes) had been erected but that nothing had been done about the potholes themselves, which are getting wider by the day. Once again, the Department of Transport was contacted to ask about the progress of the road.
KZN Department of Transport spokesperson Kwanele Ncalane commented that, “During the visual inspection done on June 7, 2021, the assessment revealed that this road has multiple potholes because of its lifespan. The Vryheid office is currently in the process of compiling specifications to be submitted to BSC in order to get the supplier to patch the existing potholes to try and get the road into a traversable condition. The office is anticipating that the specifications will be submitted to BSC for the sitting, which will be on August 30, 2021. It is anticipated that the awarded contractor will start on site by the beginning of October 2021 for the pothole patching.” The Vryheid Herald will do a follow-up on the matter at the beginning of October.
ALSO READ:The pitfalls of potholes in Vryheid
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