The City of Cape Town (CoCT) says that extortion, hijackings and armed robberies are some of the challenges that prevent the speedy rehabilitation of roads across the metro.
Also read: Over 1 000 Capetonians petition to repair Old Mamre Road
Councillor Rob Quintas, mayoral committee member for urban mobility, responded to several social posts which accused the City of being ‘selective in its road maintenance projects’.
In a CoCT statement, Quintas states that he wanted ‘to set the record straight with regards to work that is done and why certain roads regress faster than others, particularly during the winter season,’ noting that extortion and other criminal activities such as hijackings and armed robberies in some areas also affect the speedy rehabilitation of roads.
He says the deterioration of roads and the formation of potholes are common during the winter due to heavy rainfall.
‘When it rains and the water accumulates on the road, vehicle tyres squeeze the water into the…pavement layer. The repeated pump action between the road surface and the [vehicles’ tyres] causes the road to crack, and thus potholes are formed.’
He adds that CoCT is aware of road conditions after the recent downpours and that plans to resurface routes in the current or next financial year (subject to solving drainage issues) are in place.
‘In some parts of the city, matters are exacerbated by ongoing external factors such as illegally discharged grey water from washing machine outlets being decanted onto the road, water standpipes next to the road being left open and running water spilling onto the road. Illegal dumping within stormwater and sewer infrastructure also leads to overspills and blockages.’
Need a vehicle that fits your needs and your budget? Find car listings here.
Quintas says the City is aware of posts and comments from several community leaders on social media that criticise the City’s responsiveness to the state of Oliver Tambo Drive in Samora Michel.
‘It must be noted that Oliver Tambo Drive was resurfaced twice within the past three years; in June 2021 and again in May 2022. The cause of Oliver Tambo Drive’s deterioration can be attributed to heavy rainfall, open standpipes left running, vandalism of infrastructure, illegal car wash establishments, [and] illegal water and sewer connections.’
He says several complaints were also made about Japhta K Masemola Road in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, where a major contributor to the deterioration of the road is the illegal occupation of a wetland. ‘Structures have been built over critical stormwater infrastructure, which prevents stormwater from draining, which then floods the road, affecting the road surface. We are engaging with the human settlements department to look at [the] possible relocation of such structures to ensure alternative drainage options are available.
‘This also requires intervention from environmental management seeing that this is a wetland, before any permanent resurfacing works can be scheduled.’
He adds that the City will continue to fill potholes during the current wet winter conditions to ensure that the road surface is drivable in the interim. ‘Permanent repairs will not be effectively achieved when a road or the base layers underneath the road are still wet.’
‘Permanent repairs entail cutting the existing road surface around the pothole, preparing the base course, applying tack coat to the prepared base course and finally placing the hot premix, which is done after the annual rainfall period.’
‘The city urges residents to please refrain from throwing dishwater onto the roads and dumping solid waste items illegally. Soap, effluent and fats eat through the asphalt. If we do not stop illegal dumping into the system, we cannot guarantee that sewer spills will ever stop or even occur less frequently.’
‘We further plead with residents to not illegally occupy canals or retention ponds, or build over our stormwater infrastructure.’
Cape {town} Etc discount: Appreciate the beauty of Cape Town with a 60-minute cruise for just R155. Get the deal here.
Also read:
CoCT find everything but the kitchen sink in blocked sewer pipes
Picture: City of Cape Town / Facebook