Some Randfontein areas still don’t have roads and the roads they do have are falling apart — literally.
One Pelzvale street which has no street name – referred to as Main Road but is registered on Google Maps as 3rd Street – has for years been falling apart.
Jennifer Stokes, a resident of Pelzvale, said she has been living in the area for three years and does not know Main Road any other way. In fact, she said the road has only gotten worse.
The street has split in half and the middle of the split is approximately half a metre deep. The street is filled with stones and boulders in an attempt to level out the road. When cars use the road, they are forced to drive on the side of the road in a bit to avoid damage to their cars.
With roads like Main Road, residents of Pelzvale need to drive bakkies and bigger to navigate the terrain but Stokes has a small hatchback.
She explained her car was given to her as a gift from her grandmother and that she is too afraid to drive on Pelzvale roads in fear of damaging her car.
Other than her car being damaged, Stokes said the road itself is dangerous for motorists. She explained how people not knowing the area might end up in fatal crashes should they use the road.
According to Stokes, when it rains the road floods and if you are not driving a bakkie, your car will sustain serious water damage.
When the Herald visited the site with Stokes on Thursday, a resident driving by stopped to complain about the road and like Stokes said it has been in its awful state for years.
Stokes said she has reported the matter to the Rand West City Local Municipality but has heard nothing in return. She said she hopes taking it further will spark some change.
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.
Also read:
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Residents take pothole complaining to a whole new level
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