Residents Band Together to Repair Crumbling Pretoria Roads

Fed up residents from small holdings north of Pretoria have taken matters into their own hands by repairing potholes on their roads. Karneels Smit and his brother Francios, along with a small team of workers, used feed bags filled with sand to fill up holes up to half a meter deep on Coin Road. The residents have reached out to the City of Tshwane for assistance but have not yet received a response.

Residents Take Matters into Their Own Hands as Pretoria's Roads Fall into Disrepair

Exasperated residents of small holdings north of Pretoria have grown weary of waiting for the authorities to address the deplorable state of their roads. Determined to no longer tolerate the treacherous conditions that hinder their daily lives and jeopardize their safety, they have embarked on a self-initiated road repair campaign.

Karneels Smit, a resident whose family has been farming livestock in the area for generations, vividly recounted the impact the dilapidated roads have had on their business and the well-being of their community. "Our clients complain about the arduous journey to reach us. We have elderly neighbors with modest vehicles who struggle to navigate the flooded roads, making it impossible for them to traverse safely," he lamented.

Smit expressed his dismay at the depth of some potholes, measuring over half a meter. "Three pickup trucks have gotten stuck in these gaping holes, and the roadside is littered with car bumpers and parts from vehicles we've had to pull out," he explained.

Undeterred by the magnitude of the task, Smit and his brother, Francios, gathered a small team of workers to tackle the most pressing potholes on Coin Road. Using innovative methods, they filled the cavities with sandbags and leveled the surface with rocks before meticulously covering them with soil and compacting it.

"We notified the City of Tshwane about our efforts and invited them to participate," Smit stated. "We are eager for their assistance, but we couldn't afford to wait any longer."

The community's unwavering support for the initiative has been heartwarming. Other residents have volunteered their workers and equipment, and a generous individual stopped by to provide refreshments for the tireless crew. "We are deeply appreciative of their contributions, no matter how small," said a grateful resident who had suffered damage to his Volkswagen Polo after encountering a particularly treacherous pothole.

Johan Loots, media coordinator for the Lusthof Landowners' Association, identified Coin Road and Apies River Road as the most severely impacted thoroughfares in the area. "Apies River Road has become more potholes than road," Loots declared. "Residents have resorted to driving on the dirt shoulder adjacent to the tarmac."

Loots highlighted the dangers posed by the roads during emergencies. "When it rains, we must use back roads to reach the city, adding 20 minutes to our commute. We are also in the middle of the field burning season, and swift response to wildfires is crucial on these treacherous roads."

The impassibility of the roads extends to emergency vehicles, ambulances, and fire trucks. "Our neighborhood watch volunteers must exercise exceptional caution while patrolling or responding to emergencies," Loots explained.

Carika Lemmer, treasurer of the Lusthof Landowners' Association, recalled a recent medical emergency involving a resident with blood clots. "Transporting him on these roads was a grave risk," she recalled. The deteriorating roads, Lemmer emphasized, not only inconvenience residents but also have life-or-death consequences.

"Our patience has run out," Lemmer asserted. "I have been pursuing assistance from the City for a year now, but a genuine solution remains elusive." In a desperate attempt to make the roads passable, some residents have resorted to filling potholes with sand-filled Coke bottles. "It provided temporary relief, but the bottles were washed away during subsequent floods," she said.

Despite repeated requests for comment, the City of Tshwane has not provided an official response regarding the residents' self-help road repair initiative. However, the residents remain determined to improve their living conditions and ensure the safety of their community. They implore the authorities to fulfill their responsibilities and provide the necessary support to address the deplorable state of the roads north of Pretoria.