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IOL News
19-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
How apartheid nostalgia betrays South Africa's unfinished liberation
To compare the pothole-free roads of white Pretoria in the 1980s to ANC-run municipalities in Limpopo today, without examining these spatial legacies, is disingenuous. Image: Karen Singh/Screengrab THE narrative that dominates discussions of South Africa's post-apartheid journey often converges on a single, critical point: the perceived failure of the ANC to deliver on its grand promises. This critique, amplified by commentators like Prince Mashele, frequently contrasts the present with a romanticised past, suggesting an era of pristine infrastructure and efficient governance under apartheid. But this flawed comparison does more than obscure the truth—it actively distorts it. In a widely circulated interview on the SMWX podcast, Mashele claimed that under apartheid, 'there were no potholes on tar roads,' and that traffic lights always 'worked.' He continued, asserting that infrastructural decay, non-functional robots and crumbling roads, is uniquely 'an ANC thing.' This dangerously reductive view demonstrates selective amnesia. It is not merely a critique of governance, but a subtle sanitisation of apartheid's spatial and racial architecture. Undeniably, Mahmood Mamdani's analysis in Neither Settler nor Native illuminates why apartheid's geography persists under ANC rule. Mashele's statements reflect what Frantz Fanon called the 'Manichaean world' of the colonial order, where two towns existed: one of order and excess, and the other of filth and want. The black township continued to be 'a place of ill fame, peopled by men of ill repute.' The apartheid state maintained clean roads and working traffic lights in white areas not as a national standard, but as a function of racial privilege and spatial control. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ What Mashele conveniently ignores is that infrastructure under apartheid was race-coded. Paved roads, water services, and electricity were concentrated in white suburbs, while black townships and rural areas were systematically underdeveloped. In my own experience, growing up and living in places like Ntabamhlophe (western KwaZulu-Natal) or Ngobi (North West), traffic lights were non-existent—and still are, three decades into democratic rule under the ANC. These areas were not marginalised by accident but were designed to be so. Their underdevelopment was deliberate and institutionalised. To recall apartheid's so-called efficiency without context is to ignore its structural violence. Mashele's nostalgia constructs a binary: ANC equals decay; apartheid equals order. This formulation is historically inaccurate and morally indefensible. It is akin to praising the punctuality of trains under fascist regimes while ignoring the concentration camps they served. As Walter Rodney warned, colonial systems did not merely 'fail' to develop Africa, they underdeveloped it by design. Apartheid was no different. Mashele's technological nostalgia exemplifies what Jacob Dlamini identifies as 'restorative nostalgia', a desire to recover a mythical past cleansed of its oppressive foundations. This mode of nostalgia sanitises apartheid's brutality by fixating on its superficial order. In contrast, Dlamini's notion of 'reflective nostalgia' offers a more honest reckoning: a mourning of apartheid-era community networks or certainties that were fractured not by freedom itself, but by democracy's failure to fulfil its emancipatory promise. Therefore, true memory must confront, not conceal, the violence that underwrote apartheid's oppressive order. Mamdani's concept of 'decentralised despotism' in colonial governance is particularly instructive here. The apartheid state was a textbook case of bifurcated rule, where civil rights and services were afforded to whites. Meanwhile, black South Africans were governed through tribal authorities and customary law in the Bantustans. Infrastructure was not neutral but was weaponised to entrench spatial exclusion. This remains evident today, where apartheid's geography persists under a different political dispensation. To compare the pothole-free roads of white Pretoria in the 1980s to ANC-run municipalities in Limpopo today, without examining these spatial legacies, is disingenuous. The real question Mashele should be asking is why the ANC has failed to transform places like Ngobi, not why Sandton looks better maintained. What Mashele should be saying is that the ANC has not changed much in these places, because it inherited and perpetuated apartheid's geography. Indeed, the ANC has betrayed many of its foundational promises. Its 1994 Ready to Govern manifesto envisioned one million homes, 2.5 million electrified households, and a comprehensive public works programme to redress historical inequality. Instead, the neoliberal turn, engineered in part with the guidance of apartheid-era finance figures like Derek Keys and 'new' South Africa economic policy czars (Trevor Manuel, Thabo Mbeki, and Tito Mboweni), saw the abandonment of redistributive infrastructure plans in favour of market-led growth. This ideological surrender created the vacuum now filled by elite corruption and administrative collapse. Auditor-General reports confirm the rot: only three of 35 national departments received clean audits in recent years. Provinces like Limpopo have required constitutional interventions due to a total failure in service delivery. In this context, Mashele's outrage is justified. But to project this dysfunction onto a narrative that vindicates apartheid's design is intellectually dishonest. Fanon, in Black Skin, White Masks, explains this internalisation of colonial values as part of a broader inferiority complex. The formerly oppressed, he warns, may begin to admire the coloniser's systems, not because they were just, but because they were stable. Mashele's obsession with working traffic lights is a symptom of this pathology, a longing for colonial order dressed as political critique. This is not speaking truth to power, but speaking comfort to whiteness. The rise of self-proclaimed political analysts who gain traction through unchecked criticism of the ANC is not unexpected. It is part of South Africa's vibrant democratic culture. Such voices are indispensable. But they must be rooted in historical truth. As Edward Said argued in Representations of the Intellectual, the true public intellectual must interrogate power without becoming its tool. In contrast, Mashele's commentary risks becoming a performance of analysis, divorced from the very people it purports to represent. The danger lies not in criticism of the ANC, that is both necessary and overdue, but in what is lost when such critique adopts the language and assumptions of apartheid's defenders. Mashele's claim that the ANC 'broke the robots' implies that apartheid had a universal standard of governance. It did not. It had a racially exclusive logic. If the robots worked in town, it is because they were not meant to work in Seshego or Ntabankulu. Who, then, does Mashele speak for? Not the residents of Ntabamhlophe or Mogwase, who still wait for paved roads and functioning clinics. Not the youth of Nkowankowa, who must walk kilometres for access to water or schooling. He speaks not from the margins, but from a middle-class, or 'Grand Estate', vantage point that measures progress in suburban conveniences, rather than in structural transformation. Mashele's comments also obscure the ANC's complicity in failing to reverse apartheid's spatial logic. Post-1994 housing developments were often built on peripheral land, perpetuating apartheid's spatial exclusions. As urban scholar Neil Klug notes, these areas were poorly serviced and isolated, replicating the 40-40-40 rule: 40 km from the city, 40-square-metre homes, requiring 40% of income for commuting. This is not liberation but stagnation under new management. Patrick Bond's analyses of post-apartheid neoliberalism highlight how state-led, investor-friendly policies replaced development. The result: infrastructure for the elite, neglect for the majority. While 4.7 million 'housing opportunities' were created, 2.4 million families remain without homes. The state has effectively become a site of accumulation for a political class, rather than a vehicle for redistribution. Fanon warned that a national bourgeoisie that mimics colonial forms without dismantling them will eventually become 'the transmission belt between the nation and international capital.' This prophecy now defines the ANC's trajectory. However, even as we confront this reality, we must not let nostalgia obscure the past. 'There were no potholes' is not an argument but a mirage. Infrastructure that excludes cannot be glorified simply because it functioned for some. South Africa's future demands a radical reorientation. Mamdani speaks of the need to 'unmake permanent minorities' — to reverse spatial, economic, and legal segregation through systemic reform. That means reparative urban planning, land reform, and dignified service delivery — not superficial comparisons between the towns that excluded us and the municipalities that now ignore us. It means remembering that functioning infrastructure for the few is not a standard, but a sign of inequality. Again, the freedom the black majority wants is not material excess or socioeconomic rights alone, but more. Liberation is not measured by traffic lights alone, but by dignity, equity, and memory. The robots in white suburbs worked because the state ensured they would, at the expense of the black majority's humanity. To forget that is to betray those still waiting for the freedom promised at dusty crossroads where robots never gleamed. Potholes are real, but so is the history that built them—and the future we owe to those still left behind. Siyayibanga le economy! * Siyabonga Hadebe is an independent commentator based in Geneva on socio-economic, political and global matters. ** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, Independent Media, or IOL. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
SWAT teams on standby in Seaside Heights amid summer season chaos: police
The Brief Summer is off to a rocky start in Seaside Heights, Ocean County, as police had to deploy SWAT teams on the boardwalk due to violence and unruly juveniles. Residents and visitors are expressing their concern regarding the safety of the boardwalk. SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. - The summer season in Seaside Heights, Ocean County, has begun with a surge of violence, prompting police to deploy SWAT teams and backup officers to maintain safety on the boardwalk. Residents and visitors are expressing concern over the unruly behavior of teens and young adults flooding the area. What we know The boardwalk in Seaside Heights has been bustling with visitors due to prom weekend, Memorial Day, and favorable weather conditions. However, the past 48 hours have seen multiple incidents requiring rapid police response, including fights and altercations. Despite efforts to control the situation with a 10 p.m. curfew for those under 18 and increased police presence, there have been several arrests and two reported stabbings, with victims refusing police assistance. What they're saying Locals attribute the chaos to large groups of teens and young adults. "We call them gangs. I don't know what they are, just groups of kids, some tougher than others, and we've seen them pushing and stuff," said Karen Singh, a visitor. "Yes, there are altercations that are gonna happen, but as long as everybody stays calm, we'll all be fine," Omar Asad, another visitor, noted, Jacob Raefski, a visitor, shared his group's strategy for safety: "We came down here, knowing what to expect, and if anything does happen, we were talking about it in the car." Local perspective Business owners and employees are worried about the ongoing situation. "I've seen a lot of police activity like the past couple of nights. They've been here Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It's been crazy with so many people," observed Molly Herr, a boardwalk employee. "Lotta kids, some tougher than others. Some looking for problems, some not. You gotta know your surroundings and stay safe," said Michele Benangus, a visitor. What's next In response to the violence, police have nearly doubled their presence, including support from the sheriff's department and county SWAT team. Law enforcement acknowledges that this issue has plagued shore communities from Wildwood to Ocean City to Seaside Heights in recent years, and they continue to seek effective solutions to ensure public safety. The Source The information in this story is from the Ocean County Sheriff's Department.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
South Africa's pothole crisis: The impact of poor workmanship on road infrastructure
The R102 Umbilo off-ramp that branches off from the M7 is plagued with potholes that are constantly being repaired calling into question the quality of the repairs. Image: Karen Singh/Screenshot from video South Africa's road infrastructure, spanning approximately 750,000 km and ranking as the tenth longest road network globally, currently battles a significant pothole crisis exacerbated by inadequate workmanship. This recurring issue not only undermines road safety but also imposes a heavy financial burden on taxpayers, motorists, and different levels of government. The South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) is currently managing about 21 403 km of paved roads, provinces manage approximately 204 830 km of paved and unpaved roads, while municipalities manage roughly 292 207km of paved and unpaved roads. Pothole repairs are estimated to cost between R700 and R1,500 per square metre based on previous data from the Department of Transport. In 2022, the government launched Operation Vala Zonke to address one of South Africa's most persistent infrastructure challenges. This nationwide campaign, aimed at eliminating potholes from the country's roads, was spearheaded by the Department of Transport and implemented by Sanral. The project calls for the collaboration of national, provincial, and local governments, as well as the private sector and the public. The programme is facilitated through a purpose-made Vala Zonke mobile app that can be downloaded free of charge by members of the public. Using the app, potholes can be reported and geotagged anywhere in the country. Teams can then be dispatched to effect repairs. An on-ramp to the M7 near Southway Mall is plagued with potholes that are constantly being repaired calling into question the quality of the repairs. Image: Karen Singh/Screenshot from video Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ A Pinetown resident, who requested not to be named, said there is a certain stretch of roadway on the M19, between Pinetown and New Germany, where for the past three years motorists have fallen victim to recurring potholes. She said while locals have become accustomed to these potholes and avoid the left lane, others are affected. 'The area has been repaired so many times; most times, they just put gravel (crushed stone with sand) and call it a day. Then, when it rains, it's back to square one.' She called for that portion of the road to be redone entirely. The R102 Umbilo off-ramp that branches off from the M7 has been repaired several times over recent years. Each time a fraction of the potholes are left open, further increasing the surface of the roadway that needs to be repaired. Residents reported that every time they repair this off-ramp, they are left disappointed with the quality of work done and called for better monitoring of repairs. The R102 Umbilo off-ramp that branches off from the M7 is plagued with potholes that are constantly being repaired calling into question the quality of the repairs. Image: Karen Singh/Screenshot from video Sanral has highlighted poor workmanship as one of the ongoing challenges identified through the Vala Zonke initiative, often resulting from inadequate preparation of potholes before filling. Sanral said such shortcuts can lead to premature failure of repairs, ultimately undermining road safety and wasting valuable resources. 'The lack of monitoring and testing by the road authorities allows contractors to produce substandard work. This requires competent people to be part of the team monitoring the performance of the contractors,' said Sanral spokesperson Lwando Mahlasela. He said the app includes built-in data monitoring features from the War Room, which allow road authorities to assess the quality of repair efforts and identify recurring issues, many of which can be linked to workmanship. Mahlasela said road authorities are equipped to respond effectively, overseen by the Vala Zonke War Room. This initiative enhances coordination among municipalities and provinces for safer roads. The R102 Umbilo off-ramp that branches off from the M7 is plagued with potholes that are constantly being repaired calling into question the quality of the repairs. Image: Karen Singh/Screenshot from video However, he said despite the successful launch of the Vala Zonke app, it remains underutilised, limiting the national War Room's ability to maintain full oversight of reported potholes. 'To date, 120,123 potholes have been officially logged through the app, a number that likely represents only a fraction of the actual potholes on South Africa's roads due to limited app engagement. A large number of potholes remain unreported in the poorer residential areas due to lack of access to data to report,' he said. He said this gap in reporting highlights the importance of greater participation from the public and road authorities, both in using the app and in integrating other reporting systems into the Vala Zonke platform. 'Encouragingly, provincial authorities have repaired over four million square metres of paved road surfaces, showing clear commitment to addressing the crisis. However, accurate data remains critical for prioritising repairs, allocating resources efficiently, and holding stakeholders accountable,' said Mahlasela. Sanral and the Department of Transport encourage all citizens and municipalities to utilise the Vala Zonke app for reporting, tracking, and facilitating the repair of every pothole. According to Sanral, while the Vala Zonke War Room and app have laid a strong foundation for coordinated pothole management, several challenges are still hindering the programme's full potential. 'One major issue is the lack of training among some road authorities in using the secure systems provided to report back to the War Room,' said Mahlasela. In many cases, he said repairs are being completed on the ground, but the status updates are not submitted through the correct channels, leading to data gaps and an incomplete national picture. Additional obstacles include, but are not limited to, limited digital literacy among officials, fear of transitioning to new systems, insufficient accountability at certain levels, constraints in funding as road authorities require additional funding for pothole repairs, capacity, capability, and resources such as lack of data and equipment. Mahlasela stated that these challenges slow down reporting, tracking, and performance evaluation, ultimately affecting the speed and quality of pothole repairs. 'Sanral and the National Department of Transport continue to roll out training and support programmes, aiming to empower road authorities with the skills, tools, and confidence needed to fully integrate into the Vala Zonke programme.' Road authorities using their own pothole reporting apps or systems are encouraged to integrate with the Vala Zonke platform, he added. Mahlasela said this integration enables the Vala Zonke War Room to maintain a holistic, national view of all reported potholes, ensuring a unified, no repetition of effort and efficient response across all levels of government. 'In addition to improved reporting systems, Sanral is advocating the use of nanotechnology to strengthen road surfaces and extend their lifespan at reduced road repair costs, offering a smarter, more sustainable approach to road maintenance,' he said. To ensure that this innovation is implemented effectively, Mahlasela said Sanral has developed a standard named TRH24 and is providing training to road authorities across the country. 'This training will help standardise usage, promote proper application, and ensure long-term compliance with national road maintenance standards. Through technology, collaboration, and accountability, the Vala Zonke programme is helping to restore South Africa's roads one pothole at a time.' 'Sanral has assisted the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) in developing training modules in the repair of potholes,' he said. Mahlasela further noted that since the launch of the Vala Zonke War Room, road authorities across the country have been receiving training on newly developed digital applications designed to streamline pothole reporting and road maintenance. He said this marks a major step toward creating a more coordinated and responsive system for managing road infrastructure at a national level. 'We are seeing a growing number of authorities begin to embrace the programme and use the secure apps provided to report back on issues logged by the public,' he said. Last month, KZN Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma launched the War on Potholes Campaign with a R216 million budget. Duma said the Department is focusing on the issue of efficiency and rapid repair of potholes. 'We have launched a province-wide campaign focusing on pothole patching with a budget of R216,584,440.26. As announced, we are tackling the backlog of 3.12 million m² of potholes,' he said. KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma and KZN Premier Thami Ntuli at the launch of the more than R216 million War on Potholes campaign. Image: Supplied The MEC said to ensure speed and efficiency, the Department has procured 55 trucks at a cost of R103 million, with 25 more trucks in the pipeline to reinforce its efforts to eradicate potholes on our network. 'We have further appointed more than 100 road worker aids and foremen to be on the frontlines and ensure strict supervision of our work,' said Duma. Duma said there are various types of potholes, including those created by heavy truck traffic, stemming from the two major ports in Durban and Richards Bay, which contribute to road damage and the formation of potholes. He said potholes are also caused by extreme weather conditions, which weaken pavement materials and poor drainage. In addition to KZN being the logistics hub with trucks carrying coal and chemicals, spillages to the road are also the causes of potholes. 'It is true that most parts of the province—suburbs, cities, and townships—were built more than 50 years ago with poor drainage systems that get overwhelmed as a result of prolonged rainfall. Unfortunately, poor drainage can allow water to seep into the roadbed and weaken the pavement, making it more susceptible to pothole formation,' he said. The launch of the more than R216 million War on Potholes campaign by the KZN Department of Transport. Image: Supplied Duma noted that the type of material used by his team is a key consideration. He explained that cold-mix asphalt or cold bitumen emulsion is used for repairing small potholes, whereas hot-mix asphalt is used for larger potholes located on roads with high traffic volume. 'We are also working to improve relationships with material suppliers to ensure efficiency and quality,' he said. Apart from emphasising supervision of the workforce, Duma said the Department is investing in early pothole detection technology. 'We will also be training our newly appointed KZN Transport Forums (more than 900) so that they also take part in monitoring this work,' he said. He said the Department will also be prioritising working with the ratepayers' associations and other community structures such as NGOs, leaders of society, and leaders of faith moving forward. The MEC said the Department remains concerned that the prolonged rainfall and floods caused by cut-off low-pressure systems are destroying KZN's road networks across all corners of the province. 'Severe weather patterns caused by climate change, such as extreme heat and sudden cold weather accompanied by heavy rainfall, is wreaking havoc and leaving a trail of destruction on our roads,' he said. A waterlogged road in Durban following heavy rain. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the City has dedicated internal teams and appointed external contractors responsible for repairing potholes. Sisilana also expressed concern about the ongoing bad weather, acknowledging that it has hindered pothole repair efforts. She said the repairs mainly rely on hot asphalt, which is unsuitable for application in wet conditions. Cold mix is used only in emergencies or for temporary "make-safe" repairs. 'Despite weather challenges, City teams are currently on-site attending to potholes whenever conditions allow. A budget has been allocated specifically for road maintenance, including pothole repairs,' said Sisilana. Automobile Association (AA) spokesperson Eleanor Mavimbela said poor workmanship during initial road construction or repairs is a major contributor to the formation of potholes. 'Municipalities must invest in high-quality road construction using durable materials and qualified contractors,' she said. Mavimbela said regular inspections and timely maintenance are critical. Transparent tender processes and public reporting tools, such as road condition apps, can enhance accountability and improve service delivery. She said implementing effective stormwater drainage systems can help prevent water damage. 'Roads are often not built to standard specifications, or cheaper materials are used that cannot withstand weather conditions or heavy traffic.' Additionally, Mavimbela said a lack of proper drainage systems leads to water accumulation, which weakens the road surfaces. 'Delayed maintenance and the use of overloaded vehicles also accelerate road deterioration.' Mavimbela reiterated the warning that potholes can cause significant damage to vehicles, including tyre bursts, damaged rims, wheel alignment issues, and suspension problems. 'Motorists often face repair costs that can amount to thousands of rands—expenses that are rarely reimbursed. Potholes also increase the risk of accidents, as drivers may swerve to avoid them, putting themselves and others at risk,' she said. An elderly couple and their grandchild were injured in a vehicle accident caused by a pothole on the R102 near Glen Anil. Image: KZN VIP Protection Services
