Newcastle Locals Take Road Repairs Into Their Own Hands: Project Gains Momentum

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22-05-2025
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New Castillian News
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Enough is enough; the Newcastle community will no longer wait for the Newcastle Municipality to address the deplorable state of the town’s road infrastructure. A new community-driven initiative has emerged, with residents taking matters into their own hands to effect change.

This follows Newcastle Municipality’s Ward 4 Councillor Bertie Meiring launching a modest project within his ward to tackle the escalating number of potholes.

Discussing the initiative, Cllr Meiring explained that he had observed the increasing pothole problem in his ward and felt compelled to address it directly. 

“The Newcastle Municipality does have plans to address the road infrastructure, and being aware of the financial constraints that the Municipality has, I decided to address as many of the potholes in my ward as I could. I managed to get a donation of 20 bags of tar from Gustav van der Linde of Newcastle New City and managed to repair 14 potholes on Impala and Gemsbok streets,” began Councillor Meiring. With this said and Cllr Meiring officially starting his project on Wednesday, 14 May 2025, he never realised that this would spark a new community-driven initiative, taking on a life of its own.

Working alongside two men who collaborate closely with Cllr Meiring in a personal capacity, the Ward Councillor explained that while they were repairing potholes on the two roads, several motorists stopped to enquire about his actions.

Upon learning that he had taken the initiative to address the potholes in Ward 4, residents immediately expressed their desire to contribute. 

“While I initially started with my focus on Ward 4, the project is becoming much bigger than I had anticipated with more and more community members wanting to donate tar. To date, 150 bags of tar have been collected and I have secured a team from the Municipality and the necessary equipment and I will now be joining them soon to ensure they use the donated bags of tar accordingly,” elaborated the councillor. .

According to Cllr Meiring, he has coordinated with Build-It to enable community members who wish to participate to purchase tar mix at the retailer, which will then deliver the tar to Cllr Meiring, who will oversee its proper use. “I am extremely thankful for everyone who has donated to the cause, as I would like to see it expand and go into all the suburbs of Newcastle. We as a community need to realise we cannot always complain, and say we pay rates and taxes, we have to remember that we drive on the roads,” stressed Cllr Meiring, who believes that a united community can make a positive impact on the local road infrastructure.

As community members rally behind Cllr Meiring’s initiative, AfriForum’s Peet Liebenberg noted that, given the current state of service delivery in town, it was vital for residents to support positive initiatives.

Reflecting on the matter, he said, “I think it is important for a community to take charge of our own destiny, because leaving it to officials and politicians is risky as they usually look after their own interests. Therefore, I would encourage residents to become part of community driven projects and organisations that are made up of community members, as well as organisations such as AfriForum to see their towns become stronger.”

It should be noted, that as reported by Newcastillian News, in August 2023, the AfriForum Newcastle branch forged a relationship with the Newcastle Municipality, where the civil rights organisation supplied the necessary materials to the municipality and then oversaw the Municipal team repair nearly 200 potholes in a span of three months.

Despite assisting the municipality substantially in 2023, Liebenberg noted that AfriForum would like to embark on similar projects within town, however, securing meetings with the municipality’s leadership has been problematic.

Looking at the above, the pothole crisis in Newcastle has prompted broader efforts to address the town’s deteriorating roads. As reported by Newcastillian News on 25 April 2025, KwaZulu-Natal’s MEC for Transport, Siboniso Duma, announced a R9.2 billion investment plan to tackle potholes, flood damage, and maintenance backlogs across the province, offering hope for Newcastle’s infrastructure challenges, though specific funding for the town remains unclear.

Further, on 5 May 2025, Newcastillian News highlighted that potholes plague nearly every street in Newcastle, forcing drivers to navigate cautiously to avoid vehicle damage. The Municipality has begun collaborating with external partners to secure resources, but residents remain skeptical about the quality of repairs and are reminded they can hold the Municipality liable for pothole-related damages.

By 15 May 2025, the Newcastle Municipality launched its Active Pothole Patching Programme, partnering with Fuze and seeking alternative funding to address the issue. This aligns with a provincial effort to tackle a R3.12 million pothole backlog, as praised by the Public Servants Association of South Africa, reinforcing the need for community initiatives like Cllr Meiring’s to complement municipal efforts.

The community-driven initiative led by Councillor Bertie Meiring, coupled with the growing support from Newcastle residents, signals a powerful shift toward collective action in addressing the town’s pothole problem.

By fostering partnerships with local businesses like Build-It and rallying community donations, this movement highlights the potential for grassroots efforts to drive meaningful change, even amidst municipal challenges. The momentum generated by these actions underscores a shared commitment to improving Newcastle’s road infrastructure, setting a precedent for community-led solutions.

Looking forward, the combination of provincial investment plans and the Municipality’s Active Pothole Patching Programme offers hope for sustainable improvements, provided these efforts are met with transparency and effective execution. The collaboration between residents, organisations like AfriForum, and municipal teams could pave the way for a stronger, more resilient Newcastle, where community involvement continues to bridge the gap left by systemic delays. This united approach may well redefine how infrastructure challenges are tackled in the town.