🚧 CUT’s Pothole Eradication Programme Driving Safer Roads and Stronger Communities
Published on 9 December 2025, the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) was featured by Universities South Africa for its transformative Pothole Eradication Programme (PEP) a partnership with the Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads, and Transport (FSDCSRT).
Since its launch in November 2023, PEP has repaired over 300,000 m² of roads across all five districts of the Free State, improving safety, reducing accidents, and lowering vehicle costs for motorists. Beyond infrastructure, the initiative has created more than 650 jobs, prioritising women-headed households, youth, and individuals with disabilities. Through accredited training, participants have gained nationally recognised skills in road maintenance, supporting poverty alleviation and long-term employability. The programme stands as a model of how academic research, technological innovation, and community empowerment can unite to tackle South Africa’s infrastructure challenges and uplift livelihoods.
