The reasons for potholes in South Africa are relatively well understood. What are the real reasons for the state of our roads, especially local government-managed roads?
The obvious causes of potholes include:
- Weather conditions.
- Inadequate maintenance.
- Traffic load.
- Poor drainage.
- Bad quality of construction.
One however needs to look beyond the pothole to find the less obvious or real causes of the pothole plague. Let’s however turn the question on its head and list what municipalities need to avoid the pothole plague in their regions.
Engineering skills and capacity.
Transport is such a vital aspect of a community’s personal and economical life, and it deserves qualified and experienced municipal managers at the helm.
The engineer also ensures that corners are not cut by contractors which can reduce the quality of the project.
Project management skills.
Having the intent, budget and plan to provide a quality road infrastructure is one thing, but delivering a project on time and within budget is everything. The Auditor General’s report repeatedly points to the lack of project managements skills amongst municipalities.
Quality construction.
Apart from having an in-house municipal engineer managing and overseeing contractors to ensure efficacy, the appointment of a competent contractor with a proven track record is essential.
Sound governance and ethical leadership.
Informed by various acts and regulations designed to protect taxpayers, sound governance not only enhances the chances of a successful project which ticks the boxes but also discourages corruption.
Typically, municipalities which achieve the Auditor Generals clean audit report have a compliant SCP (Supply Chain Management) process in place, preventing gaps for corruption and malfeasance.
Adequate maintenance.
The deterioration of roads happens, but the municipality must be able to prioritise maintenance programmes and address the most pressing needs. With funding becoming rare, successful municipalities look for innovative and alternative ways to deliver the safe transport needs of the communities that they serve.
AI- powered predictive smart sensors and IoT devices embedded in roads will increasingly play a role in road maintenance where areas of concern can be identified real-time to promote timely maintenance interventions before it becomes too costly or places road users at risk.
Vision, strategy and long-term planning.
With urbanisation and semigration into well-managed municipal regions comes increased traffic on roads. Far-sighted leadership, accurate data modelling and detailed long-term planning are characteristics of municipalities to ensure sustainability.
Meaning and purpose.
A pothole on its own is not the issue. The real issues of a good road infrastructure are getting children and parents to and from school or work safely; protecting residents prized or essential assets from tyre punctures, rim damage, suspension problems, or even undercarriage damage; ensuring that farmers’ produce gets to the market in good shape, and that investors and tourists will be attracted by the region’s commitment to service delivery.
In many respects, the pothole has become the visible poster boy for loss of hope. But when one considers what a pot-hole free environment can mean to South Africans in a tangible and intangible way, it must surely provide the impetus to find solutions. Apart from the weather, the way to improve lies in our hands.
Rohann Stander
Senior Manager: Roads
Weskus Distrik.
B.Eng (Civil), PR.Eng.
