New machinery set to ‘ramp up’ the Endumeni municipality’s pothole war
He said the cost of the machinery was around R523,000 and will be used from this week to 'up the war on potholes'.
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Mayor Siyabonga Ndlovu was full of hope that ‘better times are coming’ when he unveiled new equipment on Monday that will be used to fill in the hundreds of potholes that have blighted roads throughout the Endumeni municipal area.
Applauding the new purchases, Mayor Ndlovu said ‘it is a pleasure for me to present these tools that will help to fill these potholes that residents have long complained about’.
“Since we have started the process, this clearly shows that we will soon win the battle to close these potholes,” he said.
This follows the recent announcement that Endumeni’s ‘Pothole Patching Project’ was also in full swing after a private company was given a R500,000 tender to also fill potholes.
The project has approved the repairing of 250 potholes per ward, with all seven ward councillors having the opportunity to prioritise which areas should be fixed first in their wards.
“The programme will start in wards 6, 3, 5, 2 ,4, 1 and 7, where the consultant, Endumeni’s Project Management Unit, appointed a local company called Melozee Enterprises, who received the tender to repair potholes,” the municipality confirmed.
This week, the crater on the corner of Handley and Victoria streets that forced motorists to swerve out to avoid hitting the hole, was finally fixed.
Residents have long complained about the hole in the intersection that deteriorated following repairs to a water pipe some years back, after which the resultant trench was never properly filled in.
The contractor who contacted the Courier apologised for the initial delay in carrying out repairs.
“We had a slight delay from the asphalt hot mix supplier, which is the only supplier that supplies quality hot mix in the whole of the Northern Natal region.
“They are now supplying us with the small quantity of hot mix required by us to close up the potholes in and around the Endumeni municipal area.
“Apologies to the residents for any confusion or inconvenience caused.”