Potholes continue to reappear on South African roads even after they’ve been patched up due to municipalities using sub-par materials when repairing the hazards.
It’s estimated that the country’s roads are littered with as many as 25 million potholes, with around 67% of these appearing within the last five years as many asphalt arteries reach the end of their planned lifespan.
While authorities have blamed natural phenomena such as rain, as well as increased traffic, for these “inconveniences”, the Automobile Association (AA) is not convinced.
Appearing on Newzroom Afrika, AA spokesperson Eleanor Mavimbela said we are currently experiencing this crisis due to a lack of urgency from municipalities to address the issue.
Furthermore, the quality of the work that is being done leaves much to be desired.
“[Municipalities] are not using the material they should be using; strong enough material to withhold the traffic volumes, to withhold the adverse weather conditions,” said Mavimbela.
“Then they allude to a lack of budget when they’re asked to account for the number of potholes we unfortunately have to deal with on a daily basis.”
The AA contends that road infrastructure maintenance should get the same levels of priority and budget as things such as healthcare due to the enormous cost of potholes and other hazards on the economy.
“We have seen the adverse consequences of not dealing with potholes within our communities,” said Mavimbela.
“Potholes in recent years have been diverted as just an inconvenience, but it’s not an inconvenience; potholes have the potential to damage your tyres, your rims and suspension, as well as the body of the vehicle.”
Back in 2023, South Africa’s largest insurer Santam revealed that the average cost of a pothole-related insurance claim ranged between R20,000 and R25,000.
Claims of this level are generally a result of a substantial impact and include the replacement of two or more tyres, repairs on bent rims, and, occasionally, suspension refurbishments.
Given that this was a year and a half ago, however, the cost today should be significant higher.
“Those costs can add up, and of course, with inflation as well, we see that those costs are increasing over time,” said Santam.
The AA urges motorists to report potholes to their relevant municipalities so that the authorities can keep track of the hotspots and the number of potholes that must still be tended to.
“We urge residents to call in and let authorities know when there’s a pothole around where you live, where you commute, so that they can be able to have an updated number of where potholes are and be able to react speedily,” said Mavimbela.
Claiming for pothole damages
Fortunately, motorists whose vehicles have been damaged by these crevices can recoup damages from either the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) or the municipality in charge of that specific road.
South Africa’s municipalities and transport bodies have an obligation to maintain the roads under their jurisdiction.
If you hit a pothole on a national road such as the N1, N2, or N12, your claim should be submitted to Sanral, which will pass responsibility to the contractor in charge of maintaining that section of tarmac.
To do so, you must first report the incident to the local police station upon which you’ll receive an affidavit, which is needed to validate your application going forward.
When filing a claim, provide the location of the pothole and a detailed description of the damage to your car, with photos as supporting evidence if possible.
It’s a similar process when claiming damages caused on a public road, as you will need to report it to the police and contact the local municipality afterwards.
While the procedure can vary slightly between municipalities, motorists are generally expected to provide the same basic details.
For example, anyone who hits a pothole in Joburg will need to contact the Johannesburg Roads Agency and submit a vehicle damage claim.
This will require them to submit the following information:
- Claimant’s certified ID copy
- Photos of the damages
- Photos of the pothole and location on the road
- Copy of vehicle registration certificate
- Copy of driver’s license of the claimant
- Copy of the motor vehicle license certificate
- Invoice for replaced tyres or vehicle damage (if already fixed)
- Towing invoice to validate if claiming two tyres or more
- Three recent repair or replacement quotations of the damages
- Affidavit commissioned at a police station, describing the incident and confirming the items damaged
- Affidavit commissioned at a police station confirming non-insurance (if applicable)
- Damage report from the supplier or repairer confirming the items which are damaged
- Copy of the purchase invoice of the original damaged tyre/s to verify the age of the damaged tyres.
If your tyres are damaged, it is recommended that you hold onto them until your application is processed, in case the municipality asks to inspect them.
It’s also important to point out that, if you choose to go down this route, municipalities also require a letter from your insurer confirming that you did not lodge a claim with them, too.
If you want to file a personal injury claim for injuries resulting from an accident caused by a pothole, you will need the following:
- Claimant’s certified ID copy
- Treatment invoices
- Treating practitioner’s report (treatment notes)
- Affidavit commissioned at a police station describing the incident and confirming the injuries
Another large metro – the City of Cape Town – has similar requirements, as road users are obligated to provide adequate evidence before a submission will be paid out.
This includes a written account of the damage done to the vehicle, photographic proof, and an invoice with the cost to repair.
Cape Town also maintains that the pothole must have been reported beforehand for a claim to be valid.
The city’s stance is that, if a pothole was reported and not fixed, it amounts to negligence.
However, if it was not aware of the pothole in question, it cannot be viewed as negligence on the part of the metro.
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