Tafelsig in Ward 82 was identified as a problem area for potholes so Mayor Dan Plato included it in the areas targeted during his “pothole campaign”. ”This is part of my pothole campaign as these are among the prominent things that are dealt with in sub-council meetings, so we need to fix this and fill them up,” he said. Here he is filling a pothole in Botrivier Street, Tafelsig. “The formation of potholes during winter is a common occurrence as it is directly related to the heavy rainfalls and the age or condition of the roads. Now that the weather conditions are more favourable, City road repair teams will be hard at work repairing potholes and undertaking general maintenance across the city. We have a plan to do permanent repairs to ensure a better quality repair,” said Mayor Dan Plato. The City’s Roads Department spent R38 million addressing 19 929 pothole incidents during the last financial year (2018/19). Residents can report potholes to the Transport Information Centre on 080 065 6463. This is a 24/7 information centre and is toll-free from a landline or a cellphone. Alternatively, a mail can sent to Transport.Info@capetown.gov.za or send a WhatsApp to 063 407 3699.
Water is the main cause of potholes, but it can also form due to diesel spillages, vehicle collisions, fires, and inadequate road drainage.
In addition to pothole-fixing, R287 million is spent on resurfacing roads per annum.
‘I also want to remind residents that we rely on them to inform us of potholes in their areas. If we don’t know about it, we cannot fix it,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Alderman Felicity Purchase.