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TAIL OF
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Potholes

here is a Kenyan joke that goes outlined the holes in the colours of the holes that are created are large
– when you see cats’ eyes in governing party, initialled on the side, enough to up-end a normal car, and
Tthe middle of the road, what leaving the holes visibly un-mended. are traffic hazards of note. They are
does it mean? A giraffe looking out of rarely correctly marked (local security
a pothole. And the Zimbabwean one A small business called the Pothole guards make proverbial plans to help
that says anyone driving in a straight Patrol consisting of a bakkie, three with rocks and hazard tape marking
line is drunk. These are no longer men, materials, a compactor and the edges) and never seem to get
funny, especially in South Africa, enthusiasm will go the scene of the filled up. Except with water when it
where potholes are a serious matter. crime, set up sandwich boards to show rains.
where they are working, and mend
There have been efforts to mend the the potholes. You can send them the The historic Bourke’s Luck Potholes
smaller potholes in suburban roads – location from a phone app, and they are found near Graskop, Mpumalanga,
one was with a private organisation will get to the spot. There was a story caused by water erosion over time.
that had some council funding, which in the press recently about two retired These are round holes scoured out by
worked well for a while, but was engineers, who quietly mended the water rushing down over and through
soon stopped as it did not involve holes close to their homes, and were rock formations, swirling with enough
the tender process, and therefore given waves of thanks and even cash power to actually wear the rocks
prevented would-be entrepreneurs tips by passing motorists. down in circular holes, leaving an
from putting their snouts in the trough ossified series of bone-like structures
– or potholes. Another has been Potholes are no longer small, tyre and gaps that are millions of years
started by a well-known insurance bursting, rim bending horrors, but old. Potholes are nothing new.
company that flamboyantly sprays there are now monster craters all
the company name over the mended over Johannesburg, some actually
patch. This has been aped elsewhere dug by the council who are trying
by disgruntled residents who have to repair ancient water pipes. The Gill Butler

BOLT

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