NEWS & ANALYSIS

"Potholes and punanis!" - Daily Sun

"Bad roads are bad for business, say magoshas" - front page lead, November 27 2014

Daily Sun (November 27 2014) - THE MAGOSHAS want the road fixed because it is killing their livelihood. What was once a busy road is now full of potholes.

AND POTHOLES ARE BAD FOR THEIR PUNANI BUSINESS!

Two worried magoshas came to Daily Sun to pour out their hearts.

"Please help! We need to have this road fixed because our punanis are not making money anymore," they cried.

They said the M20 Grahamstown off-ramp near Koedoeskloof dump in Uitenhage is cracking, and there are at least 18 potholes on the short stretch of road.

The road used to be a hot spot for magoshas but their business has hit rock bottom.

A magosha (25), who called herself Nomsa, said for the last three years they have made hardly any money.

"We used to stand here and get many customers either coming from work or going to the beach in Port Elizabeth," she said.

"During the holiday season alone I used to take home about R1 000 a day. But now I'm lucky if I make R300 a week, even during the holidays."

She said clients avoid the road because the potholes damage their cars.

"The municipal workers come to fix the roads but the refuse trucks drive here every day and damage them again," she said.

"We really hate what is happening to this road because we suffer."

The other magosha (37) refused to be named but said: "The holiday season is around the corner and at this time we used to make our punanis ready for many clients. But these potholes chase our clients away."

She appealed to the municipality to fix the road.

"This is a nice spot to do business. It's quiet and private," she said.

Motorists and taxi drivers said they used to see sexy magoshas on this road but now it is quiet.

"Magoshas used to pack this road. They used to carry umbrellas and stand there in mini-skirts, exposing their boobs," said driver Ntsikelelo Mona (45).

"But this road has made their business quiet because the drivers don't like this bad road."

Nelson Mandela Bay municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said: "We will repair the road as soon as the budget becomes available. It also depends on how busy the road is."

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

 

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