Service delivery is at an all-time low across Johannesburg and Ward 98 has unfortunately not gone unaffected.
Ward 98 councillor Beverley Weweje said many suburbs in the ward were affected by an increasing number of potholes, collapsing road infrastructure, unkempt verges, unsightly pavements and uncompleted reinstatements, which are being left for weeks and months on end.
“In December 2020, the Johannesburg Roads Agency and I conducted a site visit at the collapsing road and verge on Republic Road opposite the suburb of Cresta and the collapsing infrastructure in Edward Street, Windsor West. We are awaiting the inspection report but as we wait, the matter deteriorates with a lack of budget being the greatest hurdle,” she said.
Weweje added that very often the lack of budget was used as a reason for JRA not performing optimally.
She said millions of rands have been spent developing apps to report infrastructure issues that could have been spent fixing road issues. Verges on Republic Road, used by hundreds of pedestrian commuters to get to Cresta Shopping Centre daily have unkempt grass that is now at shoulder length, and pavement erosion that could lead to potentially dangerous situations. Weweje added that Cresta Shopping Centre had played an integral role in the upkeep of the infrastructure in and around the Cresta area.
“This is namely the Acacia Road upgrade, the Engen slip lane on Republic Road and the improved public lighting to assist with public safety. “While this goes over and above what is required of any business, it begs to ask the question, ‘How much more, can business bear the brunt?’”
She said while there had been a slight increase in pothole repairs due to residents, stakeholders and councillors holding the utilty to account, she would like to thank JRA for responding but would like to state that protecting the city’s road infrastructure was not an option but an absolute must.
JRA’s Sanele Zondi said the agency had acknowledged that the condition of the roads across the network was very poor and they required major rehabilitation and reconstruction. The agency will soon engage in a service delivery blitz of pothole repair and further road reinstatements across Region B from 17 to 30 March.
The Randburg Sun has contacted Cresta Shopping Centre for their feedback on Weweje’s comments.
Related Article:
