Abstract
This article discusses the problems of logistical support for road maintenance to manage road accidents in Vhembe district municipalities. A budget deficit model was used to explain the level of inadequate logistics support to manage operations and maintenance of municipal roads as a preventative measure against road accident and disaster risks. A hypothetical road maintenance deficit model informed by current literature on road maintenance was used to explain how cost of road maintenance increases exponentially if initial maintenance was not undertaken when the facility was newly constructed to draw the link between road maintenance and the risk of road accidents. Inadequate logistical support to address road maintenance backlogs in Vhembe district municipalities has been on the increase over the last 10 years. Current studies show that inadequate road maintenance can lead to the development of potholes – a major cause of road accidents and damages to motor vehicles. Literature on logistics support emphasises a comprehensive approach to road maintenance to provide a balance between funding, routine maintenance, quality of materials used for maintenance, use of stipulated specifications, the required maintenance technology, innovations and employment of qualified service providers to ensure quality roads and reduction of accidents on municipal roads.
Highlights
Extreme weather conditions if not anticipated and planned for can damage municipal road assets
The analysis demonstrates how inadequate logistics support for road maintenance was lacking in municipalities
This study used Vhembe district to show that lack of logistical support and inadequate provision of funds were one of the causes of road accidents and explains why there are backlogs in road infrastructure maintenance
Summary
Extreme weather conditions if not anticipated and planned for can damage municipal road assets. During the 2000 floods in Vhembe district, roads and storm water drainages, electricity poles and urban furniture were damaged (Vhembe District Municipality 2009-2010). The Vhembe District Spatial Development Framework (2009) showed that urban arterial roads, residential access roads and storm water drainages were damaged. Inadequate contingency plans and logistics support to tackle the sudden deterioration of municipal roads, for example, in Louis Trichardt town, the R524 and the N1 road were damaged (Vhembe District Municipality 2009–2010). Extensive damage to municipal roads was because of inadequate logistical support to manage road maintenance to avoid disaster risks such as road accidents. Logistical support for road maintenance is a challenge to Vhembe district municipalities (Vhembe District Municipality 2015)
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