South Africans Warned Against Fixing Potholes as the Department of Transport Commits to Monitoring Roads

• South Africans are cautioned against fixing potholes on their own, as it is unlawful without permission from relevant authorities
• The Department of Transport launched the Vala Zonke war room, which will monitor the repair of potholes across the country using technology
• South Africans are furious with the government for not allowing them to fix potholes because their cars get damaged

JOHANNESBURG - South African citizens are warned not to take matters into their own hands when it comes to fixing potholes.

Fixing potholes without permission is unlawful, says Sanral

Sanral has warned that fixing potholes without the consent of the relevant authorities is against the law.

Speaking at the Vala Zonke war room launch in Centurion on Monday, 31 July, Sanral chairperson Themba Mhambi said that there are 288 authorities in the country that oversee roads, reports TimesLIVE.

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Mhambi explained that citizens are not allowed to fix potholes because it would create an issue of culpability. He said that should problems arise on that road, the specific authority would not know what is happening because they would have no idea who fixed the potholes.

Some organisations such as #StandupSA and #NotinMyNameSA have taken it upon themselves to fix potholes because of the slow response by government officials.

Department of Transport plans to tackle potholes more efficiently

Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga explained that the launch of the Vala Zonke war room means authorities can manage and monitor potholes across the country.

Thirty people and a supervisor will lead the war room. It will focus on using technology to ensure that potholes are repaired or patched, reports SABC News.

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“It aims to just give us a picture of what is happening on all our road networks in the country: national, provincial, metro and district municipality," said Chikunga.

South Africans react to the government stopping them from fixing potholes

Tumelo Mabua said:

"It's becoming common for people to fix things themselves. I know someone who paid to have a sewer near her sorted because she had a function. People have closed roads and created closed security estates fixing own street lights etc. Some people don't have the spare time to protest."

Andrew Pienaar said:

"Otherwise, the cadre tenders can not be issued - Johannesburg has been captured - the PA, EFF and ANC cadres need opportunities to loot."

Leepile Kakudi said:

"It is illegal to repair potholes, yet they are not doing it. It is illegal to drive unroadworthy cars on bad road conditions. We, as motorists, pay a lot for ever-increasing fuel. We buy tyres time and again because of bad potholes. We repair our vehicles time and again because of bad road conditions."

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Bongisile Mahlamba said:

"They should be grateful that citizens doing what they failed to do."

Makgatho Mashau said:

"What is their problem if motorists are taking it upon themselves by patching these potholes that are damaging their cars? Is clear they're failing to end these potholes."

Mzansi man ‘documents’ SA potholes, viral TikTok has whole world laughing, “I thought you were in Trinidad”

Briefly News previously reported that one man decided to complain about potholes in South Africa. The comedian TikTok creator made a video that sounded like a nature documentary.

One man on TikTok has a comedic series titled 'Urban Safari'. In his latest video, the TikTokker pretended he was doing a nature documentary, but instead of animals, he was documenting potholes.

People were cracking up as the man in the video listed the various problems that potholes cause.

Source: Briefly News