Waterkloof resident beats city to the fix

The Citizen

26-06-2025

A fed-up Pretoria east resident this week took matters into his own hands by repairing a pothole right in front of his home on Sidney Street on June 21.
Waterkloof resident Bennie Berger said he first reported the pothole on the municipal portal on April 25.
He said a response promised repair within 24–48 hours; however, two full months passed.
'Cars drive through it nonstop; you can hear the thud from inside the house,' he said.
Frustrated, he took matters into his own hands.
Over a single weekend, he purchased 12 bags of asphalt mix (R150 each), a compactor (R400), tools, and even a warning cone, completing the repairs in just a couple of hours.
Beger added that the total cost was about R2 200, though he emphasises he shouldn't have to pay at all.
'It looks very decent and problem solved,' Berger said.
However, he believes this small gesture underscores how far municipal systems have fallen.
He said residents pay rates and taxes, but they are deprived of essential services like road maintenance.
'When basic services are not delivered, it creates frustration,' he said.
'If you report these things, feedback is given; we patiently wait and understand. But nothing gets fixed.'
Berger added that he isn't suggesting residents should do municipal services but rather augment capacity in the face of backlogs.
He said the Tshwane metro should have open discussions with residents and keep them updated.
'Play open cards with us and give us comfort that the money we are paying is being looked after.'
Despite growing community action, Berger warned that goodwill shouldn't degenerate into self-reliance.
'If there's a backlog, let's assist, but we can't be the permanent solution.'
For him, this is more than saving cars from tyre damage, but about preserving faith in the social contract that taxes fund essential services.
Ward 82 Councillor Siobhan Muller supports Berger's move.
She said she reported five potholes on Murray Street between Rupert Street and Brooklyn Road, of which only one was addressed.
Meanwhile, some of the residents were complaining about freshly repaired potholes reappearing within weeks in the area.
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