Originally published on 05 June 2024

In Mahikeng, the capital of the North West, the roads are in a terrible state. But a group of young men, many of them job-seekers, concerned about local roads and looking for ways to earn an income, are rolling up their sleeves to repair pothole-ridden roads themselves. 

What is the problem?

On the streets and roads of Mahikeng, residents are growing increasingly frustrated at potholes that grow bigger and more numerous with every passing week. The municipality’s inability to take action to repair road damage from vehicles places the lives of drivers and pedestrians at risk. News 24 reported that the roads are so bad that local wheel and tire businesses in Mahikeng have stopped placing warranties on their work. 

How are they fixing it?

Several young men in Mahikeng, many of whom are unemployed, have taken the initiative to fix potholes themselves. By fixing potholes with available, but limited, resources, they have found a way to both help the Mahikeng community and earn some money from passing motorists. 

What’s making it work? 

• Repairs using inexpensive materials. As unemployed youth, the men who are fixing the potholes in Mafikeng do not have the ability to purchase costly tools and materials often used to fix potholes elsewhere. They collect broken bricks from local dumping sites and use sand, water and small amounts of cement to fill the potholes. They flatten the material using a stick and allow passing cars to compress it. By the end of the day, with hundreds of cars compacting the material, the potholes are filled. 

• Motorists tip pothole repairers. To appreciate the work of those fixing the potholes, people who pass by provide them with cash. Ben Tshipo, a 26-year-old “pothole fighter” says, "Although we raise much-needed money to feed our families, we also do this because we want to help in the fight against potholes in our area. We can see that our municipality is struggling with this pothole problem, which is also destroying the image of our township."

Acknowledgements 

Source article:  All hands on deck as residents help to fix potholes | News24 by SANRAL