Heaps of gravel placed on a narrow road in Berlin to Tshabo has been left unattended for more than eight months now.
Motorists say the piles of gravel on a stretch of about 4km of dirt road just outside Berlin town were first placed in October in preparation of Chief Daliwe Douglas Makinana’s funeral. Makinana had died earlier that month.
Dongwe resident and taxi driver Mncekeleli Senze said they had become hopeful the road would at least be fixed when they saw something being done.
“Little did we know that these heaps stacked across the road would be our burden, because instead of serving their purpose, they have made a narrow road difficult to travel through, especially when it has rained like it has recently.
“There is no way that two cars can travel at the same time. has to wait and give the other right of way,” he said.
Senze said taxis and other cars often broke down because of the road’s bad surface.
Vuyokazi Senti, who lives near the road, said: “After heavy rains it can take up to a month before the water dries up.”
The mother of five said she was concerned about her children drowning in the pool of water after rainy days.
“Even when we walk to town and there are cars coming from behind and ahead, there is nowhere to run to because rocks and gravel are consuming most of the road,” she said.
Another driver, Yanga Ntwanambi, said he had cracked his exhaust because of the water and the terrible terrain.
“It’s been nearly a year now and nothing has happened since the gravel was mounted alongside the road.”
Public Works spokesman Mphumzi Zuzile said it was not the only dirt road that needed regravelling.
“Sometime last year we contracted companies to collect and deliver gravel for the regravelling of many roads across the province, which has been done, but we later encountered a problem. Our public works machinery has been unable to work on the roads and level everything out due to several faults.
“We are currently repairing our machinery, which will re-gravel in all the respective areas soonest,” he said. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Unfinished road creates havoc for residents as gravel piles up
Motorists say the piles of gravel on a stretch of about 4km of dirt road just outside Berlin town were first placed in October in preparation of Chief Daliwe Douglas Makinana’s funeral. Makinana had died earlier that month.
Dongwe resident and taxi driver Mncekeleli Senze said they had become hopeful the road would at least be fixed when they saw something being done.
“Little did we know that these heaps stacked across the road would be our burden, because instead of serving their purpose, they have made a narrow road difficult to travel through, especially when it has rained like it has recently.
“There is no way that two cars can travel at the same time. has to wait and give the other right of way,” he said.
Senze said taxis and other cars often broke down because of the road’s bad surface.
Vuyokazi Senti, who lives near the road, said: “After heavy rains it can take up to a month before the water dries up.”
The mother of five said she was concerned about her children drowning in the pool of water after rainy days.
“Even when we walk to town and there are cars coming from behind and ahead, there is nowhere to run to because rocks and gravel are consuming most of the road,” she said.
Another driver, Yanga Ntwanambi, said he had cracked his exhaust because of the water and the terrible terrain.
“It’s been nearly a year now and nothing has happened since the gravel was mounted alongside the road.”
Public Works spokesman Mphumzi Zuzile said it was not the only dirt road that needed regravelling.
“Sometime last year we contracted companies to collect and deliver gravel for the regravelling of many roads across the province, which has been done, but we later encountered a problem. Our public works machinery has been unable to work on the roads and level everything out due to several faults.
“We are currently repairing our machinery, which will re-gravel in all the respective areas soonest,” he said. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
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