Johannesburg Roads Agency responds to residents’ complaints with rapid repair plan

Ward 89 has been facing significant road decay, prompting councillor Zander Shawe to escalate concerns with Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) over roads posing safety risks for both drivers and pedestrians.Shawe, and the JRA operations team, conducted an inspection of the most affected areas on January 19, covering Fairland, Northcliff, Constantia Kloof, Allen’s Nek, and Weltevreden Park. He noted that road conditions have deteriorated since he became ward councillor in August 2024, and have worsened over time. Shawe highlighted streets in urgent need of attention, including Edmund Road in Constantia Kloof, Jim Fouché Road in Weltevreden Park, 9th Avenue in Fairland, 13th Avenue in Northcliff, Golf Club Terrace in Weltevreden Park and Constantia Kloof, Kudu Avenue in Allen’s Nek, and Sandpeer in Weltevreden Park.

While some concerns were raised recently, most issues have been escalated to JRA over the past year, reflecting ongoing community frustration. “Residents deserve safe and functional roads. Urgent attention is required to prevent accidents and further damage.” JRA CEO Zweli Nyathi explained that repairs vary from pothole patching to full road rehabilitation, depending on budget availability.

Technical assessments for roads in Northcliff and Fairland have been completed, enabling targeted interventions. Nyathi confirmed that JRA’s asphalt plant has been operational since January 19, following extensive maintenance designed to stabilise production. “This ensures the city can now tackle the road repair backlog effectively.

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The maintenance programme has restored optimal performance, reducing the risk of unplanned breakdowns and positioning JRA to meet high demand during the rainy season.” MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene said the city is moving from planning to rapid repair through #OperationRestore, prioritising high-usage arterials (class 1 to class 3 roads) and clearing resident complaint backlogs worsened by recent heavy rains. “Our citizens deserve quality roads, and this rollout is a testament to our commitment to service delivery.” To ensure an effective recovery, all JRA regional depots will prioritise repairs with a focus on high-impact corridors, clearing backlogs, rapid responses to weather-related damage, and co-ordinated scheduling with stakeholders. Kunene assured residents that the city is committed to restoring the road network to a safe and traversable condition for motorists and pedestrians alike.

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