The Sector 5(3) neighbourhood watch have had it with potholes.
According to them, potholes are a problem when patrolling in the evenings.
The Herald was alerted about the situation by Louise van Wyk, secretary for the CPF executive committee and Hendrik van Wyk, chairperson of sector 5 CPF both are also members of the sector 5(3) neighborhood watch. The sector 5 CPF is responsible for all the plot areas in Randfontein.
Louise and Hendrik both live and patrol in the plot areas and say they have had enough of tyre and car damage on the roads while patrolling. Subsequently, they took the Herald on a tour of the roads they find most challenging.
The first road visited was South Street in Middelvlei. The Herald counted more than 10 large potholes in the space of 400 metres.
The next street was 1st Street, located in Middelvlei as well. The entrance alone has approximately 10 potholes excluding the sides of the street that have completely worn down to a dirt road.
Entering and exiting the street causes a serious risk to motorists. One has to avoid potholes as well as watch out for cars travelling on the R559 and once the road is clear, pulling off needs to be done slowly as to avoid damage to the car.
Further up 1st Street, the road is riddled with potholes and motorists have to drive in a zig-zag and give turns to drive on the decent sections of the road. Just before the Road 6 intersection, motorists are forced to take an off-road drive to avoid the craters in the middle of the road.
Hendrik states these potholes are a serious danger to motorists as well as a danger to the neighbourhood watch’s vehicles when patrolling.
At night we can’t see these potholes because there are no lights. It’s a problem for when we’re patrolling.”
He continued, “We patrol to protect the community now we hit a pothole and get stuck on the side of the road in the dark where criminals wait for us. How does that work?”
The last road the Herald visited with the neighbourhood watch was the R559. The already dangerous road of which 12 people have been injured and one killed since the beginning of the year as reported on by the Herald also have potholes in it.
The most problematic pothole according to the watch is one right outside the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk Middelvlei. According to Hendrik, residents battled so long for the pothole to be fixed that they filled it with cement – it was been filled for a second time since, he said.
Want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us an SMS/ WhatsApp message with your name and cellphone number to 079 413 8726.
Familiarise yourself with our WhatsApp service disclaimer.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Roodepoort Record, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
