BCM to fix ‘sinkhole’ trench in Amalinda

Buffalo City Metro’s pothole problem shows little sign of abating with new potholes being identified every week, even though the metro says it is attending to them.

In response to a recent Daily Dispatch article about the city’s potholes, Buffalo City Metro insisted they are fixing them.

Spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond said the metro had not been aware of an “alleged sinkhole” in Amalinda reported on in the earlier article, but the claim had since been investigated and “a service trench that has failed” was found at the intersection of Dick King and Woolwash roads.

“The roads branch will excavate the trench to determine the cause of the failure, and undertake the necessary repairs.”

She said there were a number of roads in Gonubie in “very poor condition”.

“The tender to appoint a contractor is to be advertised soon.

“It is not recommended that the public fill the potholes, as there is a risk that the person may be struck by a vehicle.

“In addition, there are liability issues with regard to road users if the pothole that was repaired by a member of the public causes an accident or damages a car.”

Andre Swart, ward councillor for the Gonubie area, said on a weekly basis he has someone drive around Gonubie to record where the potholes in the suburb are.

“These potholes, along with the street in which they are located, are logged and sent to BCM.”

One of these weekly reports was sent to the Dispatch.

It featured close to 50 different potholes.

Melinda Petzer, a resident of Gonubie, wrote to the Daily Dispatch saying: “Four years ago all the streets around Hart Street were re-tarred due to potholes, but the top end of Hart Street became the detour at the time and was left forgotten and never fixed.

“The condition of the road is quite sad, actually impossible to miss a pothole, needless to say the damage to vehicles endless. To have the potholes filled with rubble, sand or tar will not be sufficient, as Hart Street is at the bottom end of Gonubie and therefore any rain accumulates and runs directly down Hart Street,” she said.

Ellen Ettinger of East London sent an e-mail saying she has reported many potholes over the years with little success. “One pothole in St Johns Road, outside Atlas Cleaners just before Buffalo Street robot numerous times.

“Others which need urgent attention are at the intersection of St Peters Road and Oxford on both sides of the road as well as Hollyhock in Cambridge,” she said, adding that she had reported the potholes on the road outside the Joan Harrison Pool and going up into Osborne Road in Selborne many times too, with none of them having been filled to date.

Diamond said: “There are three operational patching teams currently working in the city at any given time and there are contractors who will supplement the operations teams in Egoli, Duncan Village, Quigney and Bhisho.”

If residents want to report potholes they can use the following numbers: (043)705-9220, (043)705-9223 or (043)705-9243. The BCM app, available on Google and Apple app stores, can also be used to report issues.

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