MIDDELBURG – STEVE Tshwete Mayor Mhlonishwa Masilela was quick to reassure motorists that their worst nightmare, potholes, will be fixed.
An annoyed motorist told the Highveld Chronicle that the driving experience in Steve Tshwete is no different from that in eMalahleni, which has earned the nickname ‘City of Potholes’. Potholes appear to plague nearly every street in the CBD, Mhluzi, and surrounding areas.
“Middelburg is now the same as Witbank. It’s potholes everywhere you go,” said the motorist.
When addressing a business meeting weeks ago, Mayor Masilela acknowledged the complaints from concerned residents, especially motorists, about the potholes, and blamed the heavy downpours for damaging the roads.
“I am aware that people are talking about these potholes,” he said. “This is because of the heavy rains that we have experienced in the past few weeks. I want to assure the people of Steve Tshwete that the potholes will soon disappear.”
Masilela’s assurance comes after the Democratic Alliance (DA) threatened to petition the municipality to urgently address the potholes and prioritise road maintenance on Samora Machel Street and surrounding areas.
Councillor San-mari Wait said the municipality has been failing to maintain and upgrade the roads for months.
“As a result, motorists are forced to drive on the sidewalks,” she said. “Samora Machel Street leads to the town’s industrial area, so trucks frequently use this road. This brings massive growth to the local economy.
Wait added that it is concerning to see how the municipality has ignored the deteriorating roads.
“The municipality’s incompetence in this regard has put the lives of motorists and pedestrians in danger. Motorists driving in town are forced to make sharp turns. It must also be noted that potholes damage tyres, wheel rims, suspension systems, alignment, and the undercarriage of vehicles,” she said.
Wait further stated that their petition will include the following recommendations to the municipality:
A solid monthly road maintenance plan, indicating dates for upgrades or maintenance on roads in each ward.
Transport committee members to regularly monitor the work being done and ensure that contractors are adhering to given timeframes.
A breakdown of the budget and allocation for road maintenance to be submitted monthly to the council.
