A fast and low-cost road repair solution developed in Johannesburg is gaining traction across South Africa and attracting interest from neighboring countries.

PatchPal, which has been operating for just over a year, uses small bags of a specially engineered coal mix that are thrown into potholes and compacted gradually by passing traffic.

The company's founders see the new product as a single solution to multiple problems, including road and vehicle damage, as well as accidents caused by poor road infrastructure.

"What led us to come up with PatchPal was just frustration. We had been through enough tires and rims that we got to a breaking point where we thought, let's figure something out,” said PatchPal co-founder and managing director Jaraad Hassim.

The pothole problem runs deeper in rural areas, where agricultural and mining industries transport goods to ports on deteriorating roads.

Will Dundas, managing director of DC Civils and Construction, said the solution also creates local employment. "You give the work to the communities instead of giving it to an outside contractor. They earn money and upgrade their own roads," he said.

PatchPal is currently being piloted across three Johannesburg municipalities. Hassim said the company had not initially looked beyond South Africa, but inquiries have come in from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana, and Zambia, where trials are now underway.

With millions of road users affected by potholes that damage vehicles and impact supply chains, the company sees room to scale across the continent.