Huge push to eliminate BCM potholes
By June 30, the municipality aims to have sealed 30,000 potholes across the metro, despite having only reached half this target in the last seven months.
The municipality’s pothole sealing goal is in line with its participation in the SANRAL and the department of transport’s national Operation Valazonke programme.
According to SANRAL, BCM confirmed last week that it had sealed 16,000 potholes in the CBD , Amalinda, Gonubie, Beacon Bay, Berea and Mdantsane.
According to BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya, kickstarting the project last year was hampered by issues regarding availability of asphalt.
Ngwenya said: “As the city, we are fixing affected roads per ward but also areas in need of urgent attention, such as main roads and roads leading to emergency service centres.”
Residents are encouraged to report hazardous potholes to Buffalo City potholes direct lines: 043-705-9220 or 043-705-9223.
The Eastern Cape government has also donated a yellow plant fleet to BCM to upgrade gravel roads in the city, including. The municipality has also now embarked on a project to upgrade its Gonubie beachfront infrastructure.
About 700m of the Oceanway Road has been temporarily closed to enable a contractor to replace the tarred road with the construction of a concrete slab which is believed to be resistant to the sea water.
The site foreman, Jan Vorster of Mvezo Civil and Plant, said CRCP is thicker than tar and would last for decades.
Despite this, Gonubie ward councillor Valerie Knoetzer believes more needs to be done to rectify the existing potholes on Oceanway.
Residents in Buffalo Flats are taking matters into their own hands using a mixture of sebunga and cement to fix holes in Melbourne and Cardiff roads.
The Beacon Bay Ratepayers Association has purchased 90 bags of tar, which will be used to address potholes that present the biggest safety threats in Beacon Bay North.
BB Ratepayers Association chair Scott Roebert said: “Until BCM get back on track with their mandate to repair infrastructure, we will have to try to keep our roads drivable. Together, we can keep our wheels turning.”