The Buffalo City metro’s roads branch has ramped up its efforts to address the city’s pothole crisis, repairing more than 5,500 potholes across the metro during November.
Areas including Southernwood, Vincent, Beacon Bay, Gonubie, and Mdantsane have seen significant progress, alongside major resurfacing projects on key routes such as Frere Road, Quenera Drive, Cheltenham Road and Kelly Road. The initiative, set to continue until suppliers shut down on December 13, will transition to emergency cold asphalt repairs during the festive season, ensuring road maintenance doesn’t come to a halt.
Despite this, huge swathes of the city remain plagued by pothole ridden roads. Frustrated by years of inaction and deteriorating road conditions, residents of ward 15 in Buffalo City, encompassing Abbotsford, Dorchester Heights, and Nahoon Valley Park, are taking matters into their own hands. Pooling resources and donations, they have launched a community-driven initiative to repair pothole-ridden roads after repeated pleas to the municipality went unanswered.
“This is a community committed to improving driving conditions for all its residents,” ward councillor Bev Wood said. “Every suburb in Buffalo City faces dangerous roads, particularly the main access routes dealing with increasing traffic. Yet, the municipality, despite having budgets, simply doesn’t prioritise the necessary funding.”
Residents’ motivation stems from the daily dangers posed by the roads.
Local resident and project organiser Anthony Anley highlighted the dangers, saying: “The motivation came from the risk of avoiding vehicles driving on the wrong side of the road and hearing about shredded tyres almost daily.”
The initiative has seen widespread support, with the community donating funds for materials and hiring equipment like compactors. Volunteers have stepped forward to assist with repairs, creating a sense of unity. “This effort has generated incredible goodwill among residents and tenants,” Wood said. “It’s inspiring to see people pulling together to improve their lives.”
The poor state of Buffalo City’s roads is not a new issue. According to Wood, residents regularly write to municipal authorities, including senior council members, with no response.
She said: “Many people can’t afford the extra costs for shredded tyres and damaged rims. Requests for assistance have fallen on deaf ears, with no action from the ruling party to address these service delivery failures.”
Natural disasters further exacerbate the problem. The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) recently reported that only 9% of the Eastern Cape’s roads were paved, well below the national average of 25%. The report criticised municipalities for failing to maintain roads, noting the devastating impact on essential services, tourism, and agriculture. Disaster relief efforts often divert funds, leaving long-term infrastructure needs unmet.
The community-led repairs come as a last resort for residents like Anley, who has personally experienced the financial burden of vehicle damage.
“I’ve had tyres ripped, and daily, our local groups are flooded with pictures of damage to tyres and rims,” he said.
While the immediate goal is to make roads safer, Anley has broader ambitions for the community.
“Our long-term goal is to involve more residents in improving our roads and instilling pride in the areas we live in — Dorchester Heights, Nahoon Valley Park, and Abbotsford.
“Our homeowners pay good money for services, and it’s a grudge payment because they aren’t seeing any returns,” Wood said.
“We need proper service delivery from all departments.” Anley agreed, calling for a more proactive approach: “We shouldn’t have to shoulder the municipality’s responsibilities.
“But if they won’t act, we will.”
The SAHRC report paints a dire picture for the Eastern Cape, where the road network is one of the country’s largest, yet 90.5% remains unpaved.
The poor conditions not only cost residents financially but also hinder healthcare, education, and economic growth.
The report also finds that the Eastern Cape faces significant challenges in road infrastructure due to historical neglect, an inadequate funding model, and municipal inefficiencies.
The province’s road network, largely unpaved and underdeveloped, stems from systemic underinvestment during the apartheid era, particularly in former Bantustans such as Transkei and Ciskei.
The current funding formula, which is population-based, fails to account for the vastness and backlog of the Eastern Cape’s road infrastructure needs, leaving the province heavily reliant on the insufficient provincial roads maintenance grant (PRMG).
Municipalities also grapple with political instability, financial mismanagement, and corruption, further hampering effective service delivery and infrastructure maintenance. Without a shift to increase funding for roads networks and improved governance, the Eastern Cape’s infrastructure will remain in a state of crisis, perpetuating inequality and underdevelopment.
Wood believes that while residents of ward 15 have taken a bold step to improve their community, they also serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis of road maintenance across the province.
