Pensioners fix damaged road

Pensioners from the Zozo location in East London have fixed a damaged road after the municipality failed to do so.

The Dispatch Online reported the pensioners fixed a 2km road leading to two villages after taxi and ambulance drivers threatened not to travel into the area because of the bad state of the road.

Around 800 people live in the area.

Village chairperson Malinge Nqumama told the news website the road had not been maintained for more than two years.

“We decided at a community meeting the future of our village lies with us … We can either sit and complain or roll up our sleeves and do something,” he said.

Pensioner Elliot Tikini (72) said he stood to benefit from his hard labour.

“My body cannot take this workload, but I have to assist in fixing the road because I do not want to walk 5km just to catch a taxi,” he was quoted as saying.

Municipal officials told the Dispatch Online it was not their intention to neglect the village.

Francois van Dalen, from the municipality’s community services department, said the municipality had only one grader and that it broke down last year.

“We took [it] in for repairs and when it was returned last week, the blade failed to work. We have made arrangements for the blade to be fixed,” he said.

- Sapa