Mashishing Access Road deteriorates a few years after tar upgrade 

MASHISHING – The Mashishing Access Road, upgraded from gravel to tar just a few years ago by Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM), is crumbling under traffic and neglect, leaving motorists and pedestrians navigating potholes, peeled-off tar, and gaping dongas.

What was meant to improve access and safety for Mashishing communities in Jane Furse has instead become a daily hazard. Residents say new road is now more dangerous than the gravel it replaced

Sections of the tar surface have started peeling off in sheets, exposing the base layer underneath. Sidewalks along the route are cracked and broken, forcing pedestrians onto the roadway. In multiple spots, deep dongas have formed, some wide enough to damage vehicles.

“Every morning it’s like driving through an obstacle course. The potholes are everywhere. You swerve to avoid one, then hit another. Tyres and suspensions don’t last here anymore,” said a taxi driver who uses the road daily but asked not to be named for fear of reprisal.

A resident living adjacent to the road said the sidewalks, once a safe space for children walking to school, are now unusable. 

“The tar is peeling off like old paint and the walkways are broken. Now kids have to walk on the road with cars dodging potholes. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt,” the resident said.

Another commuter described the new dongas as a threat to everyone. “We celebrated when this road was tarred. We thought our problems were over. But a few years later it’s worse than the gravel road. At night you can’t even see the big holes until you’re on top of them,” he said.

The Mashishing Access Road connects several villages to main routes in and out of MLM, making its condition a pressing concern for residents and public transport operators. Community members say they have raised the issue with local leaders but repairs have been patchy and short-lived.

Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication on the cause of the deterioration and plans for rehabilitation.

Residents say they are not asking for new infrastructure, only for the road they were promised to be maintained before it becomes completely impassable.

At the time of going to press, the Makhuduthamaga Municipality could not respond to the publication’s enquiries.