Walvis Bay residents take pothole repairs into own hands

In a bid to improve road conditions in Walvis Bay, residents of Narraville, spearheaded by former councillor Ryan Gordon, are filling potholes themselves.
Gordon spearheaded the initiative, starting with potholes at the intersection of Duin Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue, as well as at the Narraville bridge.
The sight of residents doing road repairs is not new.
Numerous residents and businesses took it upon themselves to fill potholes following heavy rains in the harbour town early last year.
Gordon said that he began filling potholes at the Duin Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue intersection, after which community members pledged their assistance, whether by providing cement, tar or lending a hand.
“We took that cement and started filling the potholes. People can say what they want, but nothing is happening here in Narraville,” he said.
Regarding the Narraville bridge intersection, Gordon explained that it experiences heavy traffic.  
“Whether you live in town, Kuisebmond or Narraville, you use this road," he said.
"My frustration stems from the fact that a contractor worked on this road when a pipe burst, yet the road has collapsed twice. A car even ended up in a hole. It was only temporarily fixed, and now the road looks terrible. Nobody is fixing it, yet everyone is quick to complain.”
Gordon said that a few young men joined him to help.  
“The idea is just to fill the worst potholes and make a small difference with what we have. Some people are positive about this, some are negative, but it doesn’t matter. We are here to make a difference.”
He believes that even this small effort can make driving on these roads easier.  
“We want to encourage the community not to wait for the municipality or government. If we see that we can make a difference, why not?"
He added: "We are not being paid to do this, but we also use this road. If we can all make a small difference in our community, together we can make a huge impact. We don’t have to wait for certain people or entities. We can take the lead.”