South African man to sue Government after missing funeral due to pothole

A South African academic is planning to sue the government after a pothole damaged his car and forced him to miss his mother's funeral, the Beeld newspaper reported Monday.

University professor Wannie Carstens's car hit a pothole and burst a tyre when travelling at around 100 kilometres (60 miles) per hour in darkness on Sunday morning in the country's north-west.

The car was towed to a town and the tyres replaced but Carstenscould not continue to Upington, a drive of more than 600 kilometres (370 miles), due to possible further damage to the vehicle.

"My brother was upset, and my sister was in tears," he told the newspaper.

Carstens plans to sue the provincial government for 6,000 rands ($780, 589 euros) covering damage to the car.

A spokesman for the North West department of roads acknowledged that the road was in need of major repairs but said there was a lack of funds.

South Africa faces a massive road maintenance backlog with potholes estimated to cost drivers billions of rands annually in vehicle repairs and injuries