The lack of repairs on roads by GMM in Evander is a growing concern for residents

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21-07-2025
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Ridge Times
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Evander residents are resorting to fixing potholes themselves as GMM fail to do so.

The roads in Evander are in a horrendous state. Not a single road is free of potholes or crumbling tar, much of which has now turned to gravel. Potholes range from the size of a soccer ball to spanning entire lanes from one side of the road to the other.

Where roads have been dug up for water leak repairs, the damage has only been filled with gravel, leaving the surface uneven and unsafe. The problem is growing: as one pothole is left unattended, another appears. In many areas, patching is no longer viable due to the sheer number and size of the holes.

Some potholes have remained unrepaired for months, even years, forcing residents to fill them themselves. When asked about the condition of the road in front of his home, one resident said, “What municipal services? Our roads are bad. There are no municipal services.”

Johanny Jagadis of the Evander Ratepayers Association echoed this frustration, saying the Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) has done nothing to address the poor state of the roads.

“It’s us, the residents, who fix the potholes. It took me almost a whole day to repair potholes in Rotterdam Street,” said Jagadis.

He added that residents often use gravel to fill the holes and report issues on group chats and to councillors, but no action is taken. He also criticised the municipality for leaving road surfaces in disrepair after water leak repairs.

“We had to insist that GMM return to fix an elderly woman’s driveway after they left it in a mess. GMM does not care,” he said.

DA ward councillor Ansie van Marle said issues reported by residents are passed on to GMM, but no progress is made.

“You can report a pothole every day, but GMM doesn’t respond,” she said.

A petition has been started regarding potholes and broken street lights, and she encourages residents to sign it.

“It’s a continuous problem. It’s Sasol, the mines, and residents who end up fixing the potholes,” she added.

Van Marle said the community often assumes ward councillors are not reporting the problems, but that is not the case.

“It gets exhausting to keep reporting the same issues with no feedback, which is why we launched the petition,” she said. She also expressed appreciation for residents who take it upon themselves to repair the roads.

There is growing concern about the damage caused by heavy-duty trucks, particularly on Camborne Road. Van Marle confirmed that residents have lodged complaints about trucks contributing to the deterioration.

In response, GMM spokesperson Donald Green said the municipality is aware of the poor road conditions and is working on solutions.

“One of our short-term actions is to repair potholes and clean stormwater channels,” said Green.

He noted that residents raised the issue during recent Integrated Development Planning (IDP) consultation meetings. However, due to a large backlog in funding for road resurfacing and rehabilitation, potholes have increased, especially during the rainy season.

“Several road projects are either planned or underway in various towns this financial year, including upgrades, resurfacing, and maintenance,” said Green.

He added that the municipality is appealing to residents to pay for municipal services consistently, so there is enough revenue to fund these projects.