Ageing Opuwo roads 'a losing battle'

The Roads Authority (RA) says several roads in the Opuwo area have deteriorated beyond the point where routine maintenance can effectively restore them.

RA divisional manager for network planning, Frans Nghifikua, made the remarks yesterday during an engagement with the National Council standing committee on transport, infrastructure and housing in Opuwo.

“The road has got a specific life span. If you get to a point where the pavement life is gone and traffic flows are increasing, you are fighting a losing battle,” he said.

The RA has contractors deployed across the country’s road network to repair potholes, but the continued deterioration of roads that have exceeded their design life means the problem remains difficult to control.

“The responsiveness to fixing potholes, we have contractors allocated to all the roads around the network, so their job is to fix these issues,” Nghifikua said.

He added that many roads continue to develop potholes because they have gone beyond their intended lifespan.

“But the challenge is our roads have passed design life or operational life, that’s why we have a constant uprising of potholes. That’s the typical challenge we have,” he said.

Nghifikua said that while most roads in the Opuwo area remain paved, many have deteriorated to a stage where routine maintenance is no longer a sustainable solution, making rehabilitation the only option.

However, he identified funding constraints as the biggest obstacle, saying the RA is working on a funding model that will prioritise rehabilitation.

He explained that road funding is administered through the Roads Fund Administration, which receives revenue from the fuel levy. However, he said current global geopolitical challenges have affected available funding.

“The current fuel levies are cut by 50%, which is going on for another three months, but once this situation stabilises, the additional levy could make a difference,” he said.