Why a Formal Report Matters
Most South Africans who hit a damaging pothole curse it, drive on, and never report it. This is understandable but counterproductive in two ways: the pothole remains a hazard for the next driver, and you lose the opportunity to create an official record that supports a damage claim if the municipality later denies knowledge of the defect.
A formal report, with a reference number and a date stamp, establishes that the road authority was aware of the pothole at a specific point in time. If another driver is injured or their vehicle is damaged by the same pothole after your report, that record is evidence that the authority had notice and failed to act. It also strengthens your own earlier claim if you file one.
What to Include in Your Report
A useful pothole report provides:
- The exact location — street name, the nearest intersection or landmark, and if possible GPS coordinates (your phone's location sharing makes this easy)
- A description of the pothole — approximate size (width, length, depth), whether it is on the road surface, in the lane markings, or at a pedestrian crossing
- Photographs — taken safely after pulling over, showing the pothole with a reference object for scale
- The date and time you observed it
- Whether it has caused a known incident (if you know of other vehicles that have been damaged)
How to Report — By Municipality
City of Cape Town: Report via the City of Cape Town's online service requests portal at capetown.gov.za, the MyCapeTown app, WhatsApp on 063 407 3699, or by calling 0860 103 089. Select "Potholes" or "Roads" as the service category.
City of Johannesburg: Report via the Joburg Connect portal at joburg.org.za, the Joburg Connect app, or call 0860 562 874. The E-services portal has a dedicated roads and pothole category.
City of Tshwane: Via the Tshwane eServices portal at online.tshwane.gov.za, or call 012 358 8000 (24-hour contact centre).
eThekwini (Durban): Via the eThekwini online service request portal at durban.gov.za, or call 080 131 3013.
National roads (N-routes): Report to SANRAL via sanral.co.za or call 0800 726 725. SANRAL operates a 24-hour fault reporting line.
Provincial roads (R-routes): Contact your provincial Department of Roads and Public Works. Numbers vary by province — search "[province name] Department of Roads pothole report" for the current contact.
Getting and Keeping the Reference Number
Always ask for or note the reference number assigned to your report. This is the key piece of evidence if you later need to demonstrate that the road authority had notice. Screenshot confirmation messages, email yourself the reference, or photograph the reference on screen. Store it safely — if you make a damage claim, you will need it.
Following Up
Municipalities have performance targets for pothole repairs — typically 48 to 72 hours for high-priority roads. If a significant pothole is not repaired within this window, follow up using your reference number. Repeated unanswered follow-ups can be escalated to your ward councillor or reported to the municipality's performance monitoring function.