Meet the man who fills in potholes in Khayelitsha every afternoon

Eugene Cloete spends his afternoons on Swartklip Road in Khayelitsha, fixing potholes caused by sewage overflow from a pump station. Every day, he leaves his shack at 1pm, collects stones in buckets, shovels them into potholes and smooths the surface before traffic picks up again. He returns home at 6pm. Cloete does this out of kindness, feeling bad when he hasn't worked on the road.

He needs better tools like a spade and safety boots. Drivers often express gratitude with small gifts. In the mornings, Cloete collects recyclables to support his family. Community leader Donovan Koopman notes the sewage pump station causes the problem, as it has not been maintained by the City for months. The road was badly damaged, leading to residents patching it themselves.

Koopman points out that a pothole warning sign was damaged and never replaced, and streetlights have been out for eight years. Without Cloete's work, accidents would be more common. Koopman believes the City should hire Cloete due to his dedication. The community initially protested about the road and sewage but has since agreed to let the City fix the station if they can keep their illegal electricity connections.

Mayco member Rob Quintas warns that residents shouldn't fix potholes themselves due to risks. Water and sanitation Mayco member Zahid Badroodien stresses the need for the pump station to function properly without illegal connections. Energy Mayco member Xanthea Limberg says streetlights won't be replaced due to repeated vandalism, but the City is testing anti-vandalism technology.