South Africa’s road infrastructure, spanning about 750 000 km and ranking as the tenth-longest road network globally, currently battles a significant pothole crisis exacerbated by inadequate workmanship.
The issue undermines road safety and imposes a heavy financial burden on taxpayers, motorists, and the government.
The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) is currently managing about 21 403 km of paved roads, provinces manage about 204 830 km of paved and unpaved roads, and municipalities manage roughly 292 207km of paved and unpaved roads.
Pothole repairs are estimated to cost between R700 and R1 500 per square metre, based on Transport Department data.
In 2022, the government launched Operation Vala Zonke, aimed at eliminating potholes, spearheaded by the Transport Department and implemented by Sanral.
The programme is facilitated through the freely available Vala Zonke mobile app, which can be used to report and geotag potholes around the country. Teams can then be dispatched for repairs.
A Pinetown resident, who would not be named, said motorists have fallen victim to recurring potholes on a stretch of the M19, between Pinetown and New Germany, for the past three years.
“The area has been repaired so many times; most times, they just put gravel (crushed stone with sand) and call it a day. Then, when it rains, it’s back to square one.”
She called for that portion of the road to be redone entirely.The R102 Umbilo off-ramp that branches off from the M7 has been repaired several times over recent years. Each time a fraction of the potholes is left open, increasing the surface that needs to be repaired.
Residents have called for better monitoring of repairs.
Sanral highlighted poor workmanship identified through the Vala Zonke initiative, often resulting from inadequate preparation of potholes before filling.
Such shortcuts can lead to premature failure of repairs, undermining road safety and wasting resources.
“The lack of monitoring and testing by the road authorities allows contractors to produce substandard work. This requires competent people to be part of the team monitoring the performance of the contractors,” said Sanral spokesperson Lwando Mahlasela.
He said the app includes built-in data monitoring features, which allow authorities to assess the quality of repair efforts and identify recurring issues, many of which can be linked to workmanship.
However, the app remains under-utilised, limiting oversight of reported potholes.
“To date, 120 123 potholes have been officially logged through the app, a number that likely represents only a fraction of the actual potholes on South Africa’s roads due to limited app engagement. A large number of potholes remain unreported in the poorer residential areas due to lack of access to data to report,” he said.
“Encouragingly, provincial authorities have repaired over four million square metres of paved road surfaces, showing clear commitment to addressing the crisis. However, accurate data remains critical for prioritising repairs, allocating resources efficiently, and holding stakeholders accountable,” said Mahlasela.
In many cases, repairs are completed but status updates are not submitted through the correct channels, leading to data gaps and an incomplete national picture.Additional obstacles include limited digital literacy among officials, fear of transitioning to new systems, insufficient accountability at certain levels, and constraints in funding.These slow down reporting, tracking, and performance evaluation, affecting the speed and quality of pothole repairs.
“In addition to improved reporting systems, Sanral is advocating the use of nanotechnology to strengthen road surfaces and extend their lifespan at reduced road repair costs, offering a smarter, more sustainable approach to road maintenance,” Mahlasela said.
Last month, KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma launched the War on Potholes Campaign with a R216 million budget to tackle the backlog of 3.12 million m² of potholes.
The department has procured 55 trucks at a cost of R103 million, with 25 more to come, to reinforce its efforts to eradicate potholes.“We have further appointed more than 100 roadworker aids and foremen to be on the frontlines and ensure strict supervision of our work,” said Duma.
He said the material used by his team is a key consideration. Cold-mix asphalt or cold bitumen emulsion is used for small potholes, whereas hot-mix asphalt is used for larger potholes on roads with high traffic volume.
“We are also working to improve relationships with material suppliers to ensure efficiency and quality,” he said.
The department was concerned that prolonged rainfall and floods were destroying KZN’s road networks.EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the City has dedicated internal teams and appointed external contractors to repair potholes.
She also expressed concern about bad weather, saying it had hindered pothole repair efforts. Repairs mainly rely on hot asphalt, which is unsuitable in wet conditions. Cold mix is used only in emergencies or for temporary “make-safe” repairs.
“Despite weather challenges, City teams are currently on-site attending to potholes whenever conditions allow. A budget has been allocated specifically for road maintenance, including pothole repairs,” said Sisilana.
Automobile Association (AA) spokesperson Eleanor Mavimbela said poor workmanship during road construction or repairs contributed to potholes.
“Municipalities must invest in high-quality road construction using durable materials and qualified contractors. Roads are often not built to standard specifications, or cheaper materials are used that cannot withstand weather conditions or heavy traffic.”
Additionally, Mavimbela said a lack of proper drainage systems leads to water accumulation, which weakens the road surfaces.
“Delayed maintenance and the use of overloaded vehicles also accelerate road deterioration.”
“Motorists often face repair costs that can amount to thousands of rands – expenses that are rarely reimbursed. Potholes also increase the risk of accidents, as drivers may swerve to avoid them, putting themselves and others at risk,” she said.
