After numerous articles written since the beginning of the year on the state of roads in Johannesburg, and Johannesburg Roads Agency’s (JRA) alleged lack of asphalt production, the agency has finally responded to questions put forward to them about the situation.
Numerous complaints from residents about pothole-ridden roads and the lack of maintenance prompted many ward councillors to suggest that the lack of asphalt production could be the root of the issue. Further lack of road reinstatements after work had been done by other City utilities had also prompted much disdain.
The agency’s Sanele Zondi acknowledged that the City’s asphalt production plant had experienced operational challenges that have hindered its optimum performance. “Initially, it was thought that the shortage of input materials, aggregates, was the only challenge. However, an extensive assessment of the operational systems indicated that the overall underperformance of the plant is attributed to issues including internal human resources, the supply of materials, and challenges related to the procurement to sustain operations, all of which contribute to the downtime,” said Zondi.
The plant in Booysens was launched in August 2018 with the optimal capacity to produce 220 tons per hour at maximum production, and 160 tons per hour at normal operating capacity. Zondi said due to various issues the plant had not met these production targets. He added that the agency had undertaken several key intervention measures to address these challenges and to restore the plant to its full functionality. Firstly, a process to procure a technical advisor/specialist in asphalt plant operation was underway.
“Amongst other critical actions, the specialist will assist with a detailed diagnosis of the plant’s operational issues and the overall running of the plant. This will reduce the risk of technical breakdowns. For additional capacity at the plant, key appointments will be effected at critical management levels.” Secondly, suppliers for the input materials (aggregates) and gas have already been appointed. “The orders for the materials are currently in progress.
The JRA is also in the process of securing a contract for total maintenance services.” Thirdly, the agency would implement a training schedule for the current personnel at the plant, covering some important aspects of operating it. “The training will ensure that the necessary skills are retained for continuous efficiency and the overall improvement of the plant’s operations “Other key interventions are currently being discussed with the shareholder [City of Johannesburg] for consideration and will be implemented once finalised.
Thereafter, a trial run of the plant will take place to ensure all operating systems are restored, and that staff capacity issues are resolved.” The agency was adamant that despite the current challenges faced at the asphalt plant, they continued to deliver on their core mandate to maintain roads. “The JRA has sourced asphalt from private suppliers, as well as the assistance of contractors to augment the workforce to fast-track service delivery. This has resulted in a total of 95 095 potholes repaired across the city’s seven regions between the period of November 2020 and January 2021, reducing a significant amount in the backlog of road defects.”
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