[VIDEO] Sugar Mill Road is a wreck
Over the past year, the road has become virtually impossible to use.
THE Sugar Mill Road (P464), Lower Albersville is a nightmare to drive on.
Over the past year, it has become virtually impossible to use, and it seems that there could be more to the story as to why the local department of transport couldn’t be bothered about the safety of road users.
The damaged roads have compounded the problems of local residents and commuters, who are now fed up.
This busy back route into Port Shepstone is used frequently when the R102 is closed or busy.
For the past year and a half, residents and motorists have been complaining about the road, and now the situation is completely out of control and dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians.
A year ago the Herald wrote an article about how dangerous the road was, nothing has been done to date.
According to a reliable source, a tender to refurbish the P464 was awarded in August last year. “It’s now seven months later and nothing has been done. It makes me wonder if the company who got the tender absconded,” said the source. “The state of the road is causing tremendous financial loss,” said a motorist.
“I have replaced four tyres within a month. It has come to a point where you can’t even call this a road anymore. Travelling slowly on this stretch of about 3km, motorists are now vulnerable to hijacking. How much longer must we contend with this condition,” said the motorist.
Another disgruntled motorist said, “The total lack of road repairs and maintenance has led to a complete deterioration of the road. Motorists are now forced to drive in each other’s way. Must we wait for a death, to get the department working?
The late councillor Mike Henderson also expressed his concern last year. He had numerous meetings with the department to have the road refurbished.
Hibiscus Coast Municipality Speaker Ronnie Nair said the road is in serious state of disrepair.
“I am aware that the Hibiscus Coast Mayor had initiated negotiations with the provincial head of department urging him to do something urgently. I have also spoken to the Cost Centre manager, Sibongile Somi, who committed herself to bring immediate relief to the users of that road,” said Councillor Nair.
