This week’s question was:
Does the council have any short and long-term plans in place to level uneven pavements and keep the grass short and tidy so that pedestrians can walk on, and also after fibre optics are installed?
Ward 86 councillor, Philip Kruger, answered:
Pavements in the City of Johannesburg are maintained by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA).
Pavements serve two main functions: they provide a walkway for pedestrians and serve as servitudes for entities like City Power, Johannesburg Water, eGoli Gas, Telkom, Vumatel, etc.
For these reasons, the upkeep and upgrade of pavements are very important, both for the safety of pedestrians and for the protection of the services.
The City of Johannesburg through entities like JRA and the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), is constantly upgrading pavements and sidewalks.
This includes expanding pavements to create ‘complete sidewalks’. Complete sidewalks are designed to accommodate all non-motorised traffic like pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchairs, etc.
The rollout of pavement upgrades is subject to the availability of funds, as allocated in the City’s budget.
Currently, there are several pavement upgrades and speed-calming projects underway in Region B, including Linden, Parkhurst, Parktown North, Greymont, Newlands, Albertville, Bordeaux, Ferndale, and others.
When entities and private contractors work on pavements to install services like optic fibre, water pipes, electricity cables, etc., they are required to be in possession of a way leave.
A way leave is issued by JRA, and this gives contractors permission to work on pavements. Contractors are required to do reinstatement of the pavements when they are done. This must be done according to specifications set out by JRA in the way leave.
While the responsibility of grass cutting is at the feet of Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, the entity appeals to communities to maintain sidewalks adjacent to their homes, a policy already in place that makes residents responsible for this task.
JCPZ is responsible for the cutting of grass in public spaces and on pavements adjacent to commercial properties, schools or hospitals, and calls must be logged with the City for such service requests.
When a resident logs a call for grass cutting on pavements with the Johannesburg Roads Agency, the agency then contracts it out to a third party with whom they have a service level agreement.
Sometimes, it is private companies and sometimes entities such as Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo.
These contractors are then issued with a work order and will go out and clean the pavements.
Do you have a question for a ward councillor?
As a local newspaper, the Randburg Sun provides a platform for residents to learn about, understand and follow local government. As an extension of that, there is a weekly column called Councillor’s Corner which is a platform for you, our readers, to voice your concerns or questions for ward councillors to respond to.
Different, willing, ward councillors will respond to a question each week.
Email your burning question to:aimeed@caxton.co.za and let’s get the ball rolling.
