WATCH | Pothole crisis deepens

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25-04-2025
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The Witness
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Although municipal repair teams have been spotted patching up sections of the roads as recently as last year, motorists said the fixes were short-lived.

The deteriorating state of Pietermaritzburg’s roads, riddled with craters of different sizes and depths, has turned daily commutes into a nightmare, leaving motorists increasingly frustrated and financially burdened.

Of particular concern are routes such as Alexandra Road, the bottom section of Hoosen Haffajee, the bottom sections of Boom Street and Armitage Road, where the situation has worsened.

Motorists, especially those in the taxi industry, claim that during peak-hour traffic, chaos often ensues in some of the affected areas as drivers, desperate to preserve their vehicles, are forced to swerve into oncoming traffic in a bid to avoid the potholes.

The result is a dangerous dance of dodging and weaving that endangers not only the vehicles involved but also the lives of occupants. Driving on Armitage Road — particularly the section towards the circle leading to Liberty Midlands Mall above the N3 — we are met with a minefield of potholes.

“That area is constantly busy, leaving drivers with little to no room to manoeuvre around the gaping cavities. The consequence is countless tyre blowouts, damaged rims, bent suspensions and an ever-growing burden of repair costs,” said motorist and taxi driver Alex Mpondi.

He said their rank in the East Boom Street area had been repaired, but within a few weeks, the area was already infested with potholes.

“We replace or repair; there’s no compensation, no accountability. We’re just left to foot the bill for damage caused by roads the municipality should be maintaining,” he said.

Although municipal repair teams have been spotted patching up sections of the roads as recently as last year, motorists said the fixes were short-lived.

Eastwood resident and daily commuter Dumisani Madlala said within weeks — sometimes days — the potholes resurface, often worse than before.

“We talk about this endless cycle of patchwork repairs without long-term resurfacing or reconstruction, and that’s all we can do — talk about it, but we don’t get the desired sustainable solutions.

“Why is Msunduzi failing to implement lasting infrastructure improvements, particularly given the repeated damage and danger caused by the road conditions?

“We are frustrated, but we don’t have reliable people to talk to — people who take their residents seriously,” said Madlala.

The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) in uMgungundlovu District said it was frustrating not to know where to go when needing to claim for damages caused by potholes.

District chairperson Themba Mweli said the potholes were unavoidable and the damage to their vehicles was costly.

Burst tyres, damaged rims, and worn-out shock absorbers are just among the many challenges caused by these potholes.

“We were of the impression that the municipality would resurface all the roads when it did some work on parts of the city roads last year.

“We have had numerous meetings with them on this issue, but nothing has changed.

“We foot the bill to fix our vehicles because we don’t know which office to go to for claims, and normally [in other areas] it takes ages for claims to be resolved,” said Mweli.

City spokesperson Ntobeko Mkhize said a significant portion of Pietermaritzburg’s road network has surpassed its original design lifespan. She said even with continuous maintenance, the structural condition of many roads has declined considerably.

“We currently have several road rehabilitation and resurfacing projects underway across the city, with additional projects planned and budgeted for.

“These infrastructure investments are aimed at systematically improving road conditions in the medium to long term.

“Matters related to the qualifications, credentials, and procurement processes of contractors are handled through the municipality’s supply chain management policies and regulations, which ensure compliance with all relevant legislation,” said Mkhize.

She said contractor appointments and related procurement matters fell under the City’s supply chain management system, which is designed to ensure full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

HOW TO MAKE A CLAIM.

According to Mkhize, pothole-related claims fall under the category of Public Liability Claims, which offer members of the public the opportunity to seek compensation for vehicle damage caused by potholes — provided there is adequate evidence demonstrating negligence on the part of the municipality. To submit a pothole claim, the following steps must be followed:

• Claims must be lodged within 30 days of the incident.

• The official claim form must be fully completed, with all required supporting documents attached as specified on the form.

• The completed claim form can be submitted via email or delivered by hand to the Roads Section.

Submission contact details are available on the form.

Each claim undergoes a comprehensive administrative and legal review.

This includes an investigation into the incident, with the municipality’s legal unit evaluating the evidence to determine liability in accordance with relevant laws and policies. Claimants should note that this process may take time and requires strict adherence to the specified procedure.