The Department of Transport's Vala Zonke pothole reporting and repair program, launched in August 2022, was initially seen as a promising step in tackling South Africa’s road maintenance challenges.

The initiative, which is facilitated via a mobile app, allows users to report potholes nationwide.

The app is free to download, and reports are geotagged and sent to teams for repair.

The program has involved cooperation from the nine provinces and 278 municipalities across the country.

Coordinated by the Vala Zonke War Room at the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), the program processes pothole reports weekly and ensures repairs are carried out.

However, there have been mixed results and questions about its effectiveness.

According to Sanral, the app has been downloaded 511,720 times, but closer inspection reveals that only 63,162 downloads were of the official Vala Zonke app.

The remaining downloads are from the Sanral app, which serves multiple purposes beyond pothole reporting.

This raises concerns about the actual participation in the Vala Zonke initiative.

As of the latest figures, 78,317 potholes have been reported, though it remains unclear how many have been addressed.

Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly pointed out that while repairs have improved road conditions, many fixes are temporary, addressing only surface-level issues without tackling deeper structural problems.

He stressed the need for thorough investigations to understand the root causes of road damage, such as design flaws or water ingress.

Despite these concerns, the program has generally been praised as a positive short-term solution, though critics highlight the lack of transparency in funding and management.

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse CEO Wayne Duvenage questioned the role of Sanral in managing the program, noting that many of the potholes are located on municipal roads, not Sanral's.

He expressed concerns over the unclear funding sources and lack of oversight, calling for a formal allocation and auditing process.

Consulting Engineers South Africa CEO Chris Campbell acknowledged the program's importance but warned that potholes are a symptom of deeper issues within local government, such as inefficiencies and a shortage of technical resources.

He emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach, including better coordination and involvement of the private sector to address underlying causes and create sustainable solutions.

Overall, while Vala Zonke has made progress in pothole repairs, experts agree that it should be seen as a short-term fix, with further work needed to tackle the broader challenges of road maintenance in South Africa.