Abstract
Potholes are one of the significant signs of road pavement deterioration, which may cause socio-economic disaster if unattended. Road pavement decay may result in delayed travel time, vehicle mechanical problems, and accidents causing human injuries. The municipality’s mandate is to fix potholes and maintain local roads. The study focuses on the impact of potholes in Johannesburg and the reputational impact on the municipality. The objectives of the research paper were to evaluate the effect of potholes on residents and road maintenance by the government, to analyse the trends in road user claims from potholes, to analyse the impact of the prevalence of potholes on local citizens, and to assess reputational implications associated with unrepaired potholes in the city. Furthermore, strategies for proper maintenance should be developed to reduce the potholes that result in accidents, mechanical effects on motor vehicles, and economic implications for citizens.
The research design used was quantitative, using both primary and secondary data. The Questionnaires were distributed through emails and social media to complete primary data collection. A total of 400 respondents participated in the survey to evaluate the impact of potholes on the city of Johannesburg residents’ daily lives. The data collected from the questionnaire were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The secondary data was collected from the Johannesburg Roads Agency company responsible for constructing, maintaining, and managing roads in the City of Johannesburg. The results were analysed using Microsoft Excel to determine the severity of potholes and the prevalence of potholes measured against the Service Level Agreement in the City of Johannesburg.
The research found that potholes affect most residents within the City of Johannesburg. Safety and traffic congestion were the primary concerns in their daily lives. The local maintenance company performance statistics indicated to be lower than 50% compared to the SLA. Furthermore, the findings indicated that pothole repair time is often overdue, causing accidents, mechanical effects on motor vehicles, and economic implications for citizens. The study recommends that professionals such as engineers be employed to give guidelines and proper investigations on pothole repairing to mitigate the problem. Moreover, the company should focus more on preventive maintenance and innovative technologies to reduce the formation of potholes.