The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has escalated the town of Elliot’s deteriorating road infrastructure crisis to the mayor of the Sakhisizwe Local Municipality and requested immediate intervention.
Residents of Elliot have been forced to take desperate measures to address the deplorable state of their local roads, resorting to repairing potholes themselves. These residents have repeatedly appealed to the municipality to upgrade and maintain the roads, but their pleas have been ignored.
Last year the DA came to the assistance of residents. I wrote to the municipal manager to inquire about the plans and timelines for repairing municipal roads in Elliot. Unfortunately, the response I received failed to provide any specific timeframes or meaningful commitments.
I have now written to the mayor of this ANC-governed municipality, demanding immediate intervention to address the crumbling state of the town’s road infrastructure. If the mayor is unable to effectively intervene, we will take this matter up in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature.
The pothole-riddled roads in Elliot have reached a crisis point, posing a significant threat to road safety and causing substantial damage to vehicles. Hazardous conditions force drivers to swerve into oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of accidents. Furthermore, some residential roads have deteriorated to the point of being inaccessible to emergency services, with only 4×4 vehicles able to navigate the muddy, uneven terrain.
It is unacceptable that residents are being forced to assume the responsibilities of the local municipality by having to repair roads themselves. This crisis underscores the catastrophic failure of local government in the Eastern Cape.
The people of Elliot deserve better than living in fear for their safety and worrying about damage to their hard-earned property every time they use their town’s roads.
The DA will continue fighting for the people of Elliot to have access to road infrastructure that is safe and well-maintained.