Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Cllr Mamotse Lebajoa, Afrikaans soundbite by Cllr Paul Kotze and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng. See attached pictures here and here.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will table urgent questions to the Executive Mayor and the MMC for Infrastructure in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, and formally demand a comprehensive road repair plan for Ward 13, including clear timelines, budget allocations, and accountability measures.
Residents of Ward 13 are calling for immediate intervention as worsening potholes continue to damage vehicles and impose a significant financial burden on motorists. Despite repeated community complaints, the municipality has failed to take meaningful action. Modimogale, Makgasane, and Mothibi Streets, among the ward’s busiest roads, have deteriorated to the point that they are barely drivable and pose a serious safety risk to road users.
Motorists are forced to swerve around deep potholes daily, leading to tyre bursts, suspension damage and, in some instances, accidents.
The cause is clear: the municipality’s failure to prioritise routine road maintenance and respond timeously to service-delivery complaints. The effect is equally clear: residents are effectively paying twice, first through their rates and taxes, and then again through costly vehicle repairs resulting from neglected infrastructure. This is unacceptable.
The failure to maintain basic road infrastructure is not merely an inconvenience; it is a direct failure in delivering reliable basic services. Poor road conditions also reduce road safety, increasing the risk of collisions and creating opportunities for criminal activity when vehicles are forced to slow or stop unexpectedly. Furthermore, deteriorating infrastructure undermines local economic activity. Small businesses, delivery services and commuters rely on functional roads.
When roads crumble, economic opportunity and job creation suffer.
The DA will conduct an oversight inspection of the affected streets and submit a motion in Council compelling the administration to provide a detailed assessment report on the state of roads in Ward 13. We demand that a ring-fenced maintenance budget be allocated specifically for pothole repairs and that a transparent system be implemented to process and settle legitimate damage claims from affected residents.
Mangaung residents deserve accountable governance, safe roads and reliable service delivery. We will continue to fight corruption, maladministration, and neglect to ensure that public funds are used to repair our roads, restore safety, and protect the financial well-being of our communities.