As the volume of vehicles, particularly trucks used to transport manganese, has increased, the N10 Road between Cradock and Nelson Mandela Bay has become badly degraded with gaping potholes between Cookhouse and Paterson which have allegedly become life-threatening.
According to Kobus Botha MPL, member of EC Transport Portfolio Committee, the road surface of the N10 has deteriorated and is riddled with potholes, forcing drivers to swerve into oncoming traffic or risk catastrophic vehicle damage.
“This national road has become a death trap,” said Botha.
He said roads lose thickness and become prone to surface damage without ongoing repairs and periodic resurfacing with their lifespan dropping sharply.
Botha said the surface degradation of the roads has been compounded by overloaded trucks, which tear up the roads, leading to even faster deterioration.
“Roads are to the province’s economy what arteries are to the heart,” said Botha.
He said he has written to South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) requesting their urgent intervention in repairing the N10 and has asked for an indication of the budget and timeframes to effect repairs.
Botha further said that he has escalated the problem to the DA’s Shadow Minister of Transport, Chris Hunsinger, to take the matter up nationally.
He said they are calling on those involved in the manganese ore transportation business to be more considerate, respect fellow road users and abide by the rules of the road at all times.
Botha said possibly appointing private companies through the Public Private Partnerships, could help address the ever-increasing burden of pothole repairs on the roads.
He said new technology should also be embraced such as plastic roads which have already been rolled on in the Kouga Municipality.
Botha said this innovative solution requires much less maintenance and repurposes tonnes of plastic waste that would otherwise be heading to landfills.
“Ensuring that our roads are usable by eradicating potholes and conducting proper maintenance will automatically reduce fatalities and damage to vehicles,” said Botha.
“Failing to address these challenges, however, will further cripple the provincial economy. Roads are essential to economic activity. When they fail, so do the businesses that rely on them, from farmers and miners to retailers and the service industry.”
