Pothole Patrol: Buhle Nkosi's mission to keep Joburg drivers safe

It's 08:00 on an unseasonably cold autumn morning. The Leonardo, South Africa's tallest building, towers well above nearby suburban walls.

Buhle Nkosi stands alongside a team of pothole repairers in a Johannesburg north suburb. As Head of Inspections for Discovery Pothole Patrol, he oversees around 40 people working across eight repair vehicles to help fix the city's roads.

The city-wide initiative between Discovery Insure, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and Avis Southern Africa (which joined in 2023) has repaired over 340,000 potholes since launching in May 2021. Residents have logged more than 90,000 potholes through the free Discovery Pothole Patrol app.

Once someone logs a pothole in the app, Buhle is responsible for assessing what's needed to complete the repair safely and efficiently. He plans everything from the location's safety to the materials needed and sometimes, traffic management.

'Joburg has different modes of transport, neh!'

Today, four team members are working on two areas along the same busy road. The morning Sandton rush is still in full swing, with SUVs and delivery bikes jockeying for space on the narrow street. Buhle's team pulls up in a black Discovery Pothole Patrol-branded van and quickly blocks off the area they'll work on. .

Despite the barricades, a recycler whizzes downhill on his trolley, clattering and careening as if living out his never-realised Formula 1 dreams. One of Buhle's team members laughs: "Ai! Joburg has different modes of transport, neh!"

This morning, Buhle (33) is a traffic controller - a vehicular orchestra conductor. His white gloved hands signal 'slow down' and 'stop' with flair. Even 'go' comes with a bow and a flourish. Most motorists respond with appreciative hoots and smiles from behind the wheel.

Buhle says the toughest part of the job is getting people to obey the rules of the road. "Sometimes when I show a driver they must stop, they're rushing to a meeting, and there's commotion," he says. "There are many hazards, but there have been no accidents on site to date, which I'm proud of."

A treasure hunt for potholes

Buhle has been with the Discovery Pothole Patrol since day one. He still remembers his first day on the job.

"It was 27 October 2021 in Randburg. I was nervous and wasn't sure if I could do this job. We were one of the first groups, so either we made it, or we didn't. Some of the originals are still here. We're a family now - we attend weddings and funerals; we support each other."

At first, finding potholes felt like a treasure hunt. "But my navigation skills improved and so did the app, so everything is more accurate now," he says.

Whenever the team encounters a challenge, Buhle works with management to improve processes and make the app more user-friendly.

"Our repair teams are like a machine with all the parts working together as one," he says.

'To serve and protect' - by repairing potholes

Buhle has traffic control, pointsman and traffic management qualifications. Through Discovery Pothole Patrol, he also earned an NQF 3 qualification in roadwork construction.

"Before joining Discovery Pothole Patrol, I worked in traffic management with the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD). I always wanted to 'serve and protect' and work for law enforcement. I'm doing exactly that, but by repairing potholes. I'm serving the community and protecting them from accidents."

Buhle grew up in Thembisa, Johannesburg's second-largest township after Soweto.

"It had its ups and downs, but I played a lot of cricket when I was at school, which kept me out of trouble," he says. "I also played provincial cricket as a wicket-keeper batsman, like Mark Boucher.

"Cricket is a gentleman's game. It's about discipline. You make split-second decisions, learn to work both as a team and on your own, and understand how your actions impact others. Cricket prepared me well for Discovery Pothole Patrol."

A 'thank you' hoot makes the job satisfying

Sometimes residents assume Discovery Pothole Patrol teams are from the municipality, says Buhle.

"They expect us to sort out water and electricity problems too," he laughs. "We smile and advise them where to go if we can. But if you have a pothole, log it on the app. We'll come and make your day shine."

For Buhle, road safety affects everyone. He remembers one morning when a woman hit a pothole and got a puncture nearby. His team helped her pull over safely. "She came back afterwards and thanked us with tears in her eyes," he says.

Moments like that keep him motivated.

"Knowing people can get home safely inspires me to keep doing this work," he says.

To report a pothole in Johannesburg, simply download the free Discovery Pothole Patrol app (available for iOS and Android), register, and then upload a picture or capture your location.