A Du Noon family has started filling potholes in their area themselves, saying they are gatvol of waiting for the City of Cape Town to step up.
Zukile and Busiswe Klaushe have been fixing gatte in Usasaza Street.
The unemployed family is known in the community for doing odd jobs to put food on the table, but after lockdown, piece jobs became scarce.
Not used to being idle, they started filling potholes using rubble collected in the neighbourhood, or offloaded by those who appreciate their work.
They grind it before filling the holes and levelling the street.
It’s backbreaking work, but Zukile says hard work has never discouraged them.
He says the potholes in their area are not just an eyesore but also inconvenience motorists and emergency vehicles who use the roads.
His wife Busiswe, 45, says the community has been appealing to government to tar Usasaza Street, but to no avail.
“We thought to ourselves, if government is failing us, why can't we bring the change we want in our community ourselves?” she says.
“They clearly do not care as they have been ignoring us for years.
“This is our main road and it is full of potholes from the Potsdam intersection up to the end.
“We started it as a family and kindly invited the community to join in and the support has been amazing.
“Those who can’t lend a hand, donate money or chat to us to pass time.”
Zukile says they need safety gear, rubble and equipment such as wheelbarrows, hammers, spades and safety cones.
Varsity student Ahlumile Nkunkuma, 19, volunteers and says: “I realised what they’re doing is very helpful in the community and the little I can do is to offer the manpower they need, and it’s fun.”
City spokesman Luthando Tyhalibhongo says the City is aware of the condition of the roads in the area, but cannot provide residents with equipment and material: “Road maintenance teams are performing temporary pothole infilling (millings) on a regular basis.
“We ask residents to report potholes to the Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63,” he says.