News / Local
Government disown volunteer pothole 'repair' workers
06 Apr 2017 at 04:19hrs | Views
Government has disowned pothole patching volunteers that have sprouted in most urban areas with Transport deputy Michael Madanha saying "we do not know any of those people".
Madanha said the act is unlawful adding that they use wrong type of soil.
"If there were to be an accident between the volunteer roads repairers who is doing it illegally and the person who will be driving their own vehicle, we are not responsible" he told legislators in parliament on Wednesday.
Government and local authorities are struggling to repair roads which have became death traps.
Residents has taken upon themselves to patch the potholes.
Below is his take :
*HON. KWARAMBA: My question is directed to the Minister, of Transport and Infrastructural Development. Hon. Minister, there are some volunteer people who are repairing potholes on our roads.
They do not have any reflectors or danger warning signals to show that there are men at work ahead. What does the law say as regards an accident occurring if one were to hit into a wheelbarrow or kill a human being? What does the law say as regards these voluntary workers who are repairing these potholes? I thank you.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. ENG. MADANHA): Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity that you have given me and I am also thanking Hon. Kwaramba for her question.
The truth of the matter is that yes, our roads are badly damaged because of the incessant rains that we have experienced, especially with the onset of cyclone Dineo which affected us because we now have a lot of potholes on the roads.
I actually have seen these volunteer road repair workers. What I want this august House to know is that firstly, if you look at these people, the type of soil that they put on the roads is not the correct soil.
They are not paid by any one of the authorities that are responsible for the maintenance of roads, for example Local Government authorities, Rural District Council, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development – Department of Roads or the District Development Fund.
They are not on any of those authorities pay sheets. So, as they repair the roads, they raise funds from the motorists, which is unlawful. We do not know any of those people. If there were to be an accident between the volunteer roads repairers who is doing it illegally and the person who will be driving their own vehicle, we are not responsible. I thank you.
Madanha said the act is unlawful adding that they use wrong type of soil.
"If there were to be an accident between the volunteer roads repairers who is doing it illegally and the person who will be driving their own vehicle, we are not responsible" he told legislators in parliament on Wednesday.
Government and local authorities are struggling to repair roads which have became death traps.
Residents has taken upon themselves to patch the potholes.
Below is his take :
They do not have any reflectors or danger warning signals to show that there are men at work ahead. What does the law say as regards an accident occurring if one were to hit into a wheelbarrow or kill a human being? What does the law say as regards these voluntary workers who are repairing these potholes? I thank you.
*THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT (HON. ENG. MADANHA): Thank you Madam Speaker for the opportunity that you have given me and I am also thanking Hon. Kwaramba for her question.
The truth of the matter is that yes, our roads are badly damaged because of the incessant rains that we have experienced, especially with the onset of cyclone Dineo which affected us because we now have a lot of potholes on the roads.
I actually have seen these volunteer road repair workers. What I want this august House to know is that firstly, if you look at these people, the type of soil that they put on the roads is not the correct soil.
They are not paid by any one of the authorities that are responsible for the maintenance of roads, for example Local Government authorities, Rural District Council, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development – Department of Roads or the District Development Fund.
They are not on any of those authorities pay sheets. So, as they repair the roads, they raise funds from the motorists, which is unlawful. We do not know any of those people. If there were to be an accident between the volunteer roads repairers who is doing it illegally and the person who will be driving their own vehicle, we are not responsible. I thank you.
Source - Byo24News
