The road which links the N3 and M1 is one of the major routes in the city. It conveys many business employees and passengers between the East Rand, OR Tambo Airport and Sandton and Johannesburg CBD daily.
The section between 5th and 6th Avenue has potholes, rubble and constant water running down the left lane. This has reduced the road to a single lane forcing all traffic to veer to the right lane when approaching this section of the road. Residents say they witness near accidents daily as motorists struggle to squeeze onto the one lane especially during peak traffic in the morning and evening.
Before mid year, the area councillor Mokgadi Radebe said the Joburg Roads Agency had promised to fix the road, but nothing has happened till now. An unhappy Radebe said besides her own reports, the agency must be sitting with numerous more from concerned residents and the business community. “It’s a disgrace to have a key economic route in such a state especially after the city allocated billions to upgrade other main routes. Many small side roads in other suburbs have been prioritised over this main route,” she lamented.
Radebe added that Vusi Sikhakhane, regional manager for the agency, had months ago said part of the delay was due to water from disused factories where residents have constructed shacks and leave taps running. She said he stated that this resulted in water draining onto the road weakening the tar. This she said was no excuse to hamper smooth flow of traffic passage in a major route for so long.
Radebe said she has no other option but to escalate the matter with the MMC for Transport, Christine Walters. She requested this paper check with her after a while for the outcome of her engagement with the MMC.
Details : Councillor Mokgadi Radebe; 076 792 9875
