Potholes, every motorist’s curse, not being repaired
RESIDENTS of Sarnia in Pinetown are at their witsend over appalling road conditions. They are riddled with potholes.
City Watch counted five on Lesley Drive and eight on Gordon Road.
The narrow roads also had uneven surfaces where grass patches had sprouted.
Neither road had pavements.
Hylton Bremner, who has lived in the area for 39 years, said there had only been one road refurbishment in that time, and conditions began deteriorating over the past five years.
He attributed the decline to an increase in traffic volumes and lack of maintenance.
“In the past hour there have been 78 sedans and seven huge trucks passing Lesley Drive. Buses at the weekend use these roads,” he said.
He said he has constantly had to realign his wheels as a result of “driving in the potholes’”.
“Over the years we (residents) have made numerous requests for upgrade but the situation remains this way,” he added.
Debby Sylvester said driving had become a hazard.
“Drivers often swerve to avoid potholes. It’s dangerous because people drive on the wrong side avoiding potholes to minimise damage to their cars. In such a narrow road, an accident can happen.”
Sylvester said her biggest concern was that the roads would worsen because the problem was being “ignored”.
“We don’t want the potholes to be deep enough to cause punctures because that would cause significant damage to the rim and other components of the cars,” she explained.
She said as a rate-paying resident, she expected more from the municipality.
Parents Neil and Lizelle Ross said they were no longer worried about their tyres, but the effects that the bumps could have on their infant.
“I get so worried about my son’s neck because I know that’s a fragile part of their body.
“I literally have my wife hold him until we get to the top and then put him in the car seat,” Neil said.
The three residents said the conditions of the road made them feel unsafe and called on authorities to intervene.