Clare Estate bus owners take action to repair badly damaged and potholed Kennedy Road
A Clare Estate bus is able to make its way up Kennedy Road after local bus owners filled in potholes and made the road condition suitable for driving.
Image: Leon Lestrade
A community initiative led by bus owners in Clare Estate, who banded together to address the dire state of Kennedy Road, a vital thoroughfare severely affected by potholes and neglect, has resulted in a measure of relief for residents and motorists.
On Friday, this collective took it upon themselves to hire a grader to begin much-needed repairs, an act sparked by them being fed-up with the escalating damage inflicted on their vehicles since December 2024.
Clare Estate bus owners dug deep into their pockets to fix the pothole-riddled Kennedy Road in Durban
Image: Leon Lestrade
Pra Sukdeo, chairperson of the Clare Estate and Sydenham Bus Owners Association, stressed the urgency of the situation.
“The road had huge holes that were causing significant damage to our buses and vehicles,” he lamented.
“Motorists were forced to veer onto the pavement and the grass verge, leading to further damage to the bus paintwork and mechanical parts.”
Frustrated bus owners filled pot holes with bricks and sand on Kennedy Road in Durban.
Image: Supplied
To navigate around the hazardous road conditions, many drivers resorted to using Elf Place, which only served to aggravate tensions with local residents.
The installation of heaps of sand blocking part of the lane served as only a temporary solution, prompting the bus owners to take decisive action. By hiring their own grader, they aimed to fill in the deep potholes and level the road surface.
However, this self-initiated repair effort has not been without its complications. Residents voiced their concerns regarding the potential disruption caused by contractors from outside the area.
In contrast, eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana announced that an appointed contractor is set to commence formal road reconstruction, including the addition of a sidewalk, starting this Tuesday.
“Part of the damages were aggravated by the recent torrential rains,” Sisilana explained.
While the municipality has not directly commented on the bus owners’ repairs, they emphasised that maintaining a clean and functional city is a collaborative responsibility involving every resident, business, and visitor.
“When we work together hand in hand, we build a culture of cleanliness and civic pride,” Sisilana remarked, urging citizens to play their part in protecting the city’s beauty and health. “Cleaning eThekwini begins with everyone.”
Concerns have also been raised by a group of local residents regarding litter strewn across the road and pavements.
Kennedy Road in Durban. Motorists, bus owners and residents complained about the road surface and litter strewn pavements.
Image: Zainul Dawood
In response, Sisilana stated that the Cleansing and Solid Waste (CSW) Unit has conducted numerous clean-ups in the area and has initiated awareness campaigns to educate the community about proper waste management practices.
To further assist with waste disposal, skip bins have been placed on Kennedy Road and are serviced three times a week.
However, due to excessive rubble accumulating both inside and around one of the skips, it was removed two weeks ago, complicating the city's waste management efforts.
“We will return the skip once we have cleared the rubble,” Sisilana confirmed.
“In addition to the regular schedule, a contractor collects waste from Kennedy Road on Tuesdays, and further support will be provided as needed by our teams.”
DAILY NEWS