Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
A huge pothole, approximately the size of two beds that has developed at corner Lobengula Street and Third Avenue, a very busy intersection, is now a nightmare for motorists navigating their way in and out of the Bulawayo city centre.
The busy intersection is mostly used by commuter omnibus operators who use Luveve Road to link several suburbs such as Emakhandeni, Cowdray Park, Entumbane, Njube and Nguboyenja, among others to the city centre.
The intersection is littered with potholes and social media users have now named this big one “King’ pothole.
Its size and depth is a nightmare for motorists as it has made it difficult for motorists to navigate their way past the intersection.
Due to the incessant rains, most roads in the city are now littered with big and deep potholes that urgently need attention.
Complaints from motorists and residents about the state of the road at corner Lobengula Street and Third Avenue, have caught the attention of Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, who had to respond and shared information from the city engineers.
“We acknowledge the condition of 3rd Avenue at the approach to the Lobengula Street intersection. The road pavement in this area has deteriorated due to waste water issues and recent rains, which are not draining properly through the culvert pipes crossing Lobengula Street,” he said.
Clr Coltart said to address the problem, there is need to improve the storm water drainage system on Lobengula Street between Third Avenue and Sixth Avenue, which will require a complete reconstruction of the road.
He said the problematic culvert pipes are blocked and the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) teams had failed to unblock them. A culvert pipe is used to facilitate the flow of water under roads, railways and other man-made structures and is essential in preventing water from accumulating on roads.
“Once the drainage issues on Lobengula Street are resolved, BCC will shift focus on reconstructing Third Avenue east bound approach to Lobengula Street,” said Cllr Coltart.
He said the prolonged closure of Third Avenue between Lobengula Street and Fort Street, which was closed to traffic for over six months, was the cause of delays in addressing the pothole menace in the area.
“Now that Third Avenue has re-opened to traffic, we will issue a notice next week to temporarily close Lobengula Street to begin the necessary improvement works around mid-March 2025,” he said.
Cllr Coltart said it is difficult to patch potholes on the Third Avenue approach to Lobengula Street due to the constant flow of wastewater from nearby shops. The waste water is unable to drain properly as a result of blocked culvert pipes.
Kombi drivers who spoke to Chronicle yesterday welcomed the move to reopen a section of Third Avenue allowing them to avoid turning on Lobengula Street.
“It’s been a very difficult six months of driving into Lobengula Street, which is full of potholes and now resembles a dusty road after the tarred road was completely damaged.
“We still have to drive past the intersection after McKeurtan Primary School that has a problematic pothole that is in the middle of the road, ” said a kombi driver Mr Luke Maphumulo.
Another kombi driver said they have been avoiding driving past the battered intersection by driving into a nearby taxi rank situated just after the McKeurtan Primary School sports fields.
“We have to navigate our way around potholes in the city centre and then encounter the same problem in the western areas where the situation is even worse,” he said.
Bulawayo United Passenger Transporters Association (BUPTA) chairman Mr Morgan Msipa bemoaned the state of roads in the city saying vehicle owners are spending more on maintenance and repairs.
