FARMERS pay the price

Local farmers foot the bill to fix pothole-riddled public roads

WITH no assistance from provincial government, eNtumeni farmers have resorted to repairing the area's access roads themselves, spending thousands of rands annually.

This is amid years of neglect, with recent heavy rains and flooding exacerbating the situation, leaving the P326 - the main route to the area - in a state of grave concern.

This road Ts off the P50 down to the old Ntumeni Mill site, towards the Mbongolwane turn-off before rejoining the P50.

While the Eshowe Entumeni Farmers' Association has taken up the fight to have the roads repaired and regularly maintained, surrounding communities, schools and businesses are all affected, with risks posed both to livelihoods and safety.

The farming association's spokesperson says they have exhausted all efforts to get the Department of Transport to fix the roads, but their pleas appear to be falling on deaf ears, with 'endless promises' and no resolution yet in sight.

"We have been engaging the department for years but nothing is being done. Our roads are graded once a year.

"We are filling the potholes every month and maintaining these roads at our expense," said the spokesperson.

The association has been pulling resources to grade and resurface the often pothole-riddled roads.

"The costs go beyond the resources put in to fix the damage; it's the wear and tear on vehicles, changing tyres on trucks, cars and taxis.

"The roads don’t have sufficient drainage, which they promised last year along with the promise that they would be graded," he added.

The P326, which is the main road to the eNtumeni area, was badly damaged by recent heavy rains

Farmers decry the costs to maintain their vehicles owing to massive potholes on some roads in eNtumeni