Avoid these streets in Joburg CBD today

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has issued a traffic alert for the Joburg CBD on Thursday.

According to JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla, the department is anticipating traffic disruptions due to Umphakathi Wesizwe’s planned march.

Approximately 1 000 participants are expected to participate in this march to hand over a memorandum to the Office of the Executive Mayor.

The group has yet to publicise their grievances.

ALSO READ: 194 Joburg intersections vandalised

The participants are expected to gather at Maryfitz Gerald Square at 9am, and the march will start at 11am. They are expected to hand over their memorandum at approximately 12pm at JD House, Braamfontein.

Motorists are advised that the following roads will be affected by the march:

• Lillian Ngoyi Street
• Ntemi Piliso Street
• Steimens Street

JMPD officers will be deployed to monitor the march along the affected and surrounding roads to manage traffic flow and ensure the safety of all road users.

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“Motorists can expect potential delays and are advised to plan their routes in advance, consider alternative routes to avoid the affected areas, and exercise patience and caution when navigating the vicinity of the march,” said Fihla.

Joburg protests

In recent weeks, the city has been hit by protests as different sectors of society complain about service delivery lapses.

Earlier this month, the EFF marched to Johannesburg Water in protest against water cuts.

“The March to Johannesburg Water is just but one of the many marches lined up this year by the EFF in demand of service delivery,” said the party.

“The EFF demands that a dedicated unit within the JMPD be established to specifically deal with the crackdown, arrest and prevention of theft and/or vandalism of critical water infrastructure.”

ALSO READ: Johannesburg’s water response plan: Where has Mayor Morero fallen short?

Late last month, WaterCAN took to the streets of Johannesburg to protest against water cuts.

“Johannesburg residents are tired of the excuses of the water crisis not being fixed! Today, we and our partners took action to demand change,” it said.

“No more leaks and no more lies. We demand the ringfencing of the water budget to fix infrastructure and ensure clean and safe water for all.”

‘Working on it’

On Wednesday, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero acknowledged the vandalism of infrastructure and water leakages as among the city’s biggest challenges.

“We can indicate that, with the engagement with the national water department, it has become clear that there is no shortage of water. The challenges we have are infrastructure-related due to leaks,” said Morero.

ALSO READ: EXPLAINED: Gauteng has been overusing its water allocation for over a year

For informal settlements, Joburg Water will continue to provide stationary and roaming water tankers to ensure residents have access to water.

For most intersections in the city, the traffic lights are either out of service or not there. According to the mayor, this is due to vandalism.

The Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) oversees around 2 023 signalised intersections across the city, of which 251 belong to the Gauteng province.

“The city faces significant challenges in maintaining these intersections due to vandalism and theft. 194 intersections throughout Joburg have been affected by vandalism, and 60 provincial intersections have been vandalised and require reconstruction,” said Morero.