Millions required to repair potholes

Millions required to repair potholes

More than R35-million is required to repair roads in the greater St Francis area following several severe bouts of rain since May.

According to a flood damage report submitted to the Kouga Council in July, it will cost at least R10-million to fix potholes at St Francis Bay, Cape St Francis and Oyster Bay.

Damage to gravel roads in Sea Vista, Cape St Francis and Oyster Bay, has been put at R3-million while Brander Street in Oyster Bay will have to be rebuilt at an estimated cost of R1,5million.

Provincial roads in the greater St Francis area also took a beating, with at least R15-million needed to reconstruct the Sand River Bridge that washed away on July 7. It will cost a further R4-million to repair the Humansdorp road to Oyster Bay.

Roads in other parts of Kouga suffered a similar fate. The municipality has applied for more than R100-million’s flood damage relief from the provincial and national disaster management units.

To try and put this figure into context – it’s more than a fifth of the municipality’s entire anticipated income for the current financial year  (we expect an income of R483-million).

Meanwhile, the municipality is fixing potholes as best it can with the available funds and resources. Tar, gravel and sand are being used to plug the most serious holes. Work is already underway. The plan is to start with the main routes and then to move into residential areas.