The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport says a team will assess damaged sections of Verulam’s R102 after the Verulam Business Forum reported tyre damage, uneven surfaces and alleged accidents.
Verulam Business Forum (VBF) chairperson Roshan Lil-Ruthan raised the alarm after witnessing at least three vehicles sustain tyre damage after hitting potholes along the R102 on Sunday (November 1).
The issue of potholes on the roads, had led Lil-Ruthan to write a letter to the KwaZulu-Natal Department Transport, requesting an urgent permanent repairs on the affected roads.
Lil-Ruthan said the aim of the letter was to draw the department's urgent attention to a series of dangerous road surface failures on Verulam roads including the R102.
"The issue requires immediate intervention in accordance with the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma's "Vala Onke" directive aimed at eliminating potholes and improving road safety across the province," he said.
Lil-Ruthan said the most critical concern was a large pothole situated on the southbound carriageway of the R102 in the fast lane, opposite the Verulam Fire Station.
"Motorists are hit by this large pothole as they exit Verulam. The condition of this pothole has deteriorated significantly and now poses a severe hazard to road users."
Lil-Ruthan said as he was writing the letter to the transport department, two additional vehicles were parked off the roadway replacing damaged tyres.
"Furthermore, police officers reportedly had to assist a stranded motorist on Sunday night after a vehicle sustained substantial damage as a direct consequence of the R102 road defect.
“The frequency of the incidents now clearly demonstrates that this is no longer a maintenance issue, but a road safety emergency," he said.
He claimed that motorists who have suffered losses were considering recovery actions against the transport department for the damages incurred because of the deteriorated condition of this roadway.
"In addition, there are two further areas of major concern on the northbound carriageway towards King Shaka International Airport. At the traffic signal intersection, the left lane is severely ridged, lifted and uneven," he said.
Lil-Ruthan said heavy vehicles crossing this section were experiencing instability.
"We have witnessed several accidents and near-miss incidents as unsuspecting truck drivers lose control when traversing the raised surface. Approximately 300 metres beyond this intersection, the left lane has deteriorated extensively.
"The roadway has crumbled, a significant pothole has developed, and water is visibly surfacing through the damaged section. This location was previously repaired, yet the failure has reoccurred in a far worse condition than before," said Lil-Ruthan.
He highlighted the rapid deterioration strongly suggests that the earlier repair was inadequate and failed to address the underlying structural problem.
"The VBF submitted that the continual patch repairs are proving ineffective and are resulting in repeated expenditure while exposing road users to unacceptable risks.
“We therefore request that these sections be subjected to a proper engineering assessment and that permanent remedial works be undertaken to address the root cause of the failures rather than temporary surface patching," said Lil-Ruthan.
He said wanted urgent feedback on the department's intended course of action, anticipated timelines for repairs, and whether an inspection can be conducted as a matter of priority before further vehicle damage, injuries, or fatalities occur.
Responding to the issue, Sifundiswa Lunga of the KZN Department of Transport, assured that a team would attend to the issue as soon as possible.
"The team from our north office will ensure that the work is completed on P100 and after that it will deal with R102, especially the areas that have been identified as problems. The team will report back on progress and timelines," said Lunga.
He said the team will do an assessment of the damaged sections of the roads and report back to him with suggested interventions where black top patching will be inadequate.