Road surfaces in Ward 101 unrepaired for four months

Ward councillor bemoans growing list of roads needing resurfacing and little to no work done by JRA in recent months.

There are potholes and damaged roads galore in Ward 101 that need attending to, the local ward councillor says.

Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau has expressed his frustration at the apparent lack of interest on the part of Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) to repair potholes and damaged roads in the area.

“Over 16 weeks ago, we were promised by JRA in the form of [the] regional manager… that the dangerously corrugated road surface on a blind corner on Derby Drive and around the traffic circle at the intersection of Hyperion [Drive] and Blandford Road would be repaired within two weeks,” Bittkau claimed.

Potholes on Blandford Road are months old, Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau says.

“This, same as all other promises of service delivery by JRA in Ward 101, has not happened. Pothole repairs in the area are mainly done by the [Dial Direct] Pothole Brigade and not by JRA. CR Swart Drive looks like a minefield.”

Bittkau claimed on top of this, the agency had stopped reinstatements for Joburg Water.

This made things difficult because most residents reporting damaged roads did not know the difference between a pothole and a reinstatement, according to him.

Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau is unhappy with the time it is taking to repair damaged roads in his ward. Photo: Nicholas Zaal

“This may prolong the process, however, it should not be used as an excuse to do nothing at all.

“JRA does not only fail in pothole repairs but also numerous other aspects of their work such as the control of weeds on our roads through spraying and skoffeling. At this moment, the further aspect of their failure to clean stormwater outlets is causing unnecessary flooding throughout the city.”

Specific to Ward 101, Bittkau said in January it was pointed out to the regional manager during an inspection that there were some stormwater drains on Jacaranda Avenue that were bricked up. Also, the drain on the bridge over the Klein Jukskei River was blocked and caused flooding on the bridge.

The dangerously corrugated road surface at the traffic circle at the intersection of Hyperion Drive and Blandford Road was allegedly supposed to be repaired 14 weeks ago.

“Needless to say, nothing has been done about these issues. Even the MMC for Transport, Funzi Ngobeni, who is being copied on all service requests fails to even acknowledge receipt of the same,” he claimed.
“Neighbouring wards have expressed a similar lack of service delivery by JRA.”

The Randburg Sun sent questions about these complaints to the roads agency spokesperson Kelebogile Mafa who acknowledged receiving the query.

“I will engage Region C and revert soonest,” she said.

Mafa’s comments will be published when they are made.

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