MMC reflects on roadworks issues

Johannesburg - City of Joburg Transport MMC Funzi Ngobeni has called for road maintenance issues to be addressed urgently.

He said Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) teams are often unable to do road repairs because of water on the surface owing to pipe bursts, standpipes without drainage and blocked or leaking sewer lines spilling sewage onto roads.

“There are over 2 000 reinstatements that need to be completed by Joburg Water. Joburg Water and the JRA had a service level agreement, but owing to the need to complete the works rapidly Joburg Water opted to appoint contractors to expedite the reinstatements. The JRA is only able to do its work efficiently if other entities do their work effectively,” Ngobeni said.

He added that the interdepartmental initiative must ensure that de- partments hold each other accountable for actions or lack thereof, and that they keep sight of the need to enable each other’s departments and entities to perform their duties with little hindrance.

“As the JRA prepares to resume the A Re Sebetseng service delivery blitz, I hope outstanding issues on road maintenance urgently get resolved. Excess water on any road surface leads to the formation of potholes and other defects,” he said.

The JRA has engaged with several city departments and entities where service delivery challenges were impacting negatively on the JRA’s ability to perform its work, including filling potholes and resurfacing roads.

“A resolution of these matters should bode well for customer satisfaction. Engagements will take place monthly to monitor the work of all departments and entities concerned,” Ngobeni said.

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