居民齊心協力修復破舊的比勒陀利亞道路

比勒陀利亞北部小農場的居民已經厭倦了，他們自己動手修復道路上的坑洞。卡尼斯·斯密特 (Karneels Smit) 和他的兄弟弗朗西斯 (Francisios) 以及一小隊工人，用裝滿沙子的飼料袋填補了科因路上半米深的坑。居民已向茨瓦內市尋求協助，但尚未收到回覆。

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

比勒陀利亞道路年久失修，居民自行解決問題

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.

比勒陀利亞北部小農場的憤怒居民已經厭倦了等待當局解決他們糟糕的道路狀況。他們決心不再容忍阻礙他們日常生活和危害他們安全的險惡條件，開始了自發性的道路修復運動。

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.

居民卡尼爾斯·斯密特 (Karneels Smit) 的家族世代在該地區飼養牲畜，他生動地講述了破舊的道路對其生意和社區福祉造成的影響。 「我們的客戶抱怨到達我們這裡的路途艱辛。我們有年邁的鄰居，他們的車輛簡陋，他們很難在被洪水淹沒的道路上行駛，這使得他們無法安全通過，」他感嘆道。

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.

斯密特對一些深度超過半公尺的坑洞表示沮喪。 「三輛皮卡車被困在這些大洞裡，路邊散落著汽車保險桿和我們不得不拉出的車輛零件，」他解釋道。

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.

史密特和他的兄弟弗朗西斯並沒有被這項艱鉅的任務嚇倒，他們召集了一小隊工人來解決科因路上最緊迫的坑洞。他們採用創新方法，用沙袋填充空洞，並用岩石平整表面，然後小心翼翼地用土壤覆蓋並壓實。

"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."

「我們向茨瓦內市通報了我們的努力，並邀請他們參與，」斯密特說。 “我們渴望他們的幫助，但我們不能再等了。”

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.

社區對此倡議的堅定支持令人感動。其他居民自願提供了他們的工人和設備，還有一位慷慨的人停下來為不知疲倦的工作人員提供茶點。 「我們對他們的貢獻深表感謝，無論貢獻有多小，」一位心懷感激的居民說道，他的大眾 Polo 在遇到特別危險的坑洼後受損。

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."

Lusthof 土地所有者協會的媒體協調員 Johan Loots 認為 Coin Road 和 Apies River Road 是該地區受影響最嚴重的道路。 「阿皮斯河路變得比馬路還坑坑洼窪，」魯茨宣稱。 “居民們只好在停機坪附近的土路肩上行駛。”

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."

搶劫凸顯了緊急情況下道路造成的危險。 「下雨時，我們必須走小路到達城市，這樣通勤時間就會增加 20 分鐘。我們也正處於野火燃燒季節，在這些危險的道路上，迅速應對野火至關重要。”

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.

緊急車輛、救護車和消防車都無法通行。 「我們的鄰裡守望志工在巡邏或應對緊急情況時必須格外小心，」魯茨解釋。

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.

Lusthof 土地所有者協會財務主管 Carika Lemmer 回憶起最近發生的一起醫療緊急情況，涉及一名患有血栓的居民。 「在這些道路上運送他是一個巨大的風險，」她回憶道。萊默強調，道路惡化不僅給居民帶來不便，也會帶來生死攸關的後果。

"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.

「我們的耐心已經耗盡了，」萊默斷言。 “一年來我一直在尋求市政府的援助，但真正的解決方案仍然難以實現。”為了讓道路通行，一些居民絕望地用裝滿沙子的可樂瓶來填補坑洞。 「它提供了暫時的緩解，但瓶子在隨後的洪水中被沖走了，」她說。

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.

儘管多次要求置評，茨瓦內市尚未就居民自助道路修復倡議做出正式回應。然而，居民們仍然決心改善他們的生活條件並確保社區的安全。他們懇求當局履行職責並提供必要的支持，以解決比勒陀利亞北部道路狀況不佳的問題。