DA criticises Steve Tshwete for neglecting Nazareth roads

Middelburg – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has also called for urgent intervention from the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality after residents of Nazareth complained about severely damaged roads that have become hazardous for both motorists and pedestrians. The DA says the municipality’s failure to maintain the roads endangers lives and disrupts daily economic activity.

DA Councillor Morgan Bruiners accused the municipality for neglecting essential infrastructure, saying that the state of roads in Nazareth and surrounding areas reflects years of poor service delivery.

“Residents have endured unsafe and damaged roads for far too long,” said Bruiners. “Potholes, debris and faded road markings are creating dangerous conditions that affect school transport, emergency response times, and the general mobility of residents. It’s unacceptable that the municipality continues to ignore these challenges.”

He said the DA is calling on the municipality to prioritise the repair of potholes, refurbish pavements and ensure clear markings and visible speed humps.

Residents say the state of the roads has affected their daily routines and finances. Danny Nkosi, a Nazareth resident who transports school children, said the conditions are taking a toll on his vehicle and income.

“The condition of these roads has a negative financial impact on my business because I constantly have to fix parts of my car damaged by potholes,” Nkosi said. “Sometimes when it rains heavily, I still have to go out to fetch the children for school even though the roads are flooded and it puts my car in danger, but I don’t have a choice.”

Another resident, Sipho Maruma, said the community feels ignored by the municipality despite repeated complaints.

“The municipality doesn’t take us as seriously as the Nazareth community,” said Maruma. “We’ve been complaining for years and nothing is done. Every month we pay for services we’re not getting. We just hope the DA will push this matter and hold the ANC-led municipality accountable.”

Residents say they hope the municipality will act urgently before the roads deteriorate further.

In response to allegations raised by the Democratic Alliance (DA) regarding the poor state of roads in Nazareth, the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality confirmed that it had received the party’s letter and provided clarity on its road maintenance processes.

The municipality stated that it maintains roads as and when required, based on reports received from residents. “The municipal service standard for repairing potholes is five days, not 48 hours. It is not possible to adhere to the DA’s demands for repairs within 48 hours,” the municipality told Highveld Chronicle.

It added that road repairs and maintenance are conducted according to an annual programme that outlines scheduled repair work across various areas. In Nazareth repairs have already been carried out in several streets, including Fort Napier Street, Alexandria, Bellville Street and Graafwater.

The municipality said the road maintenance budget is allocated to the entire Steve Tshwete area in line with National Treasury requirements, meaning that funds are not designated for specific wards.

On the issue of faded markings and damaged pavements, the municipality said road painting and the refurbishment of speed humps are already in progress. It further highlighted that the speed limit in residential areas ranges between 40 and 60 km/h, and therefore “would not cause any problems or delays when adhered to”.

In addressing concerns about delays in school and emergency transport due to poor road conditions, the municipality said it is working closely with SANRAL to address residents’ complaints. However, it also acknowledged that weather conditions, particularly rainfall, can delay maintenance work.

“We have to wait for the road surface to dry before proceeding with repairs, which sometimes leads to backlogs, ” said the municipality.