Goodwood’s road repairs: Battling South Africa’s infrastructure crisis

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24-10-2025
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NovaNews
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CAPE TOWN – As South Africa’s municipalities grapple with crumbling road networks nationwide, Cape Town’s latest infrastructure intervention in Goodwood demonstrates the scale of investment required to address the country’s deteriorating transport infrastructure.

The metro’s commitment to repair 72 road sections in a single financial year highlights both the severity of the crisis and the resources needed for sustainable solutions.

Municipal leaders confront infrastructure reality

On Monday 20 October, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Rob Quintas, and Executive Director Regan Melody visited Goodwood’s Vasco Boulevard, where permanent pothole repair work has commenced. The high-level visit reflects the political priority now being placed on infrastructure maintenance across South African metros.

“The road infrastructure in Goodwood is ageing, and some of these roads require extensive repair work to keep Cape Town moving,” said Quintas, echoing concerns voiced by municipal leaders from Johannesburg to Durban as they confront similar infrastructure backlogs.

Winter damage exposes national vulnerability

The Cape Town official’s acknowledgment that “following the winter season, many roads experienced significant deterioration” mirrors a pattern seen across South Africa, where seasonal weather consistently overwhelms already-strained municipal maintenance capacity.

“We are also aware of the frustration this has caused. I want to assure residents that our teams are out and about in Goodwood and working hard to get the repairs done as efficiently and quickly as possible,” Quintas said, using language that has become familiar across municipal communications nationwide as councils struggle to manage public expectations.

Data-driven approach shows municipal capacity

Cape Town’s systematic response offers insights into what effective municipal management can achieve. Over the last month, the City’s Socony Roads Depot commenced operations to address reported potholes, with 73% of all potholes logged in the Greater Goodwood area now attended to.

This level of responsiveness contrasts sharply with the service delivery challenges experienced in other metros, where pothole backlogs often stretch for months or years without resolution.

Integrated infrastructure strategy

The Cape Town model demonstrates the interconnected nature of municipal infrastructure challenges. The City’s Water and Sanitation directorate is actively working to repair trench reinstatements resulting from maintenance work on water and sewer infrastructure located under roads.

On Monday 20 October, City’s Roads Infrastructure Management team commenced with permanent pothole repair work.

At the beginning of October 2025, the City’s dedicated reinstatement project had listed more than 80 reinstatement sites across Goodwood, Townsend Estate, and Vasco, which will be attended to.

Major capital investment pipeline

Goodwood’s inclusion in major capital investments under the city-wide Pipe Replacement Programme illustrates the financial commitment required for sustainable infrastructure management. Over the past three financial years, more than R8 million has been spent on water-pipe renewals in Tygerdal and surrounding areas, with a further R6.7 million planned for early 2026.

This R15 million combined investment in a single suburb reflects the enormous capital requirements facing South African municipalities as they attempt to address decades of infrastructure backlogs while maintaining existing networks.

Digital service delivery innovation

Cape Town’s multi-channel reporting system represents the kind of technological integration increasingly needed across South African municipalities. “I encourage residents to report potholes and any other road issues via the City’s Call Centre at 0860 103 089, or on the City App. Otherwise, log a service request on www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests or email transport.info@capetown.gov.za,” said Quintas.

Such comprehensive digital platforms for municipal service requests remain inconsistent across South African metros, with many still relying on traditional reporting methods that limit responsiveness.

National infrastructure lessons

The Goodwood intervention, while locally focused, offers a template for municipal infrastructure management that could inform national policy discussions. Cape Town’s combination of systematic assessment, dedicated funding, integrated planning, and digital service delivery represents best practices that other metros could adapt to their own infrastructure challenges.

As South Africa’s municipalities continue to struggle with infrastructure maintenance amid budget constraints and growing service delivery expectations, Cape Town’s Goodwood project demonstrates both the investment levels required and the systematic approach needed to make meaningful progress on the country’s infrastructure crisis.