The Tshwane mayor should know that playing pothole politics is not as easy as 1-2-3
22 May 2025 - 05:00
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Bayanda Walaza, Bradley Nkoana, Sinesipho Dambile and Akani Simbine celebrate winning the men’s 4x100m gold at the World Athletics Relays. Picture: GETTY IMAGES/LINTAI ZHANG
A good week for Paul Gorries
Paul Gorriesis not a name widely known in South African sports circles, but those he trains are: the sprinters in the 4x100m and 4x400m men’s relay won gold and the women in the 4x400m brought home bronze from the World Athletics Relays in China last week. Coaching relay teams is not just about speed, there’s also technique. The smooth exchange of batons — where the slightest mistake can mean disaster — is a skill that needs to be practised and coached. And to think Gorries is not even paid for what he does.
Tshwane executive mayor Nasiphi Moya. Picture: LUBABALO LESOLLE
A bad week for Nasiphi Moya
The problem with pothole politics is that it’s full of pitfalls. Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya — she of the big parades — claimed the city had only five potholes. She boasted that her council had repaired 687 of the 692 potholes left behind by the DA local government, which her ActionSA party helped the ANC unseat. But a bit of pothole-counting by online tech site MyBroadband quickly found 51 potholes on just a fraction of the city’s roads. The first was spotted three minutes into the search and a monster — more than a metre wide — was found near Moreleta Corner shopping centre.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
A bad week for Nasiphi Moya
The Tshwane mayor should know that playing pothole politics is not as easy as 1-2-3
A good week for Paul Gorries
Paul Gorries is not a name widely known in South African sports circles, but those he trains are: the sprinters in the 4x100m and 4x400m men’s relay won gold and the women in the 4x400m brought home bronze from the World Athletics Relays in China last week. Coaching relay teams is not just about speed, there’s also technique. The smooth exchange of batons — where the slightest mistake can mean disaster — is a skill that needs to be practised and coached. And to think Gorries is not even paid for what he does.
A bad week for Nasiphi Moya
The problem with pothole politics is that it’s full of pitfalls. Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya — she of the big parades — claimed the city had only five potholes. She boasted that her council had repaired 687 of the 692 potholes left behind by the DA local government, which her ActionSA party helped the ANC unseat. But a bit of pothole-counting by online tech site MyBroadband quickly found 51 potholes on just a fraction of the city’s roads. The first was spotted three minutes into the search and a monster — more than a metre wide — was found near Moreleta Corner shopping centre.
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