After two years of back and forth calls with Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), Sue McEvoy, a Parkhurst resident, still has a dug up pavement outside her house and an unfinished job with the resurfacing of the tar around her water meter.
“I am so tired of trying to get someone to help I have even tried calling the Ward 117 councillor, Tim Truluck,” said McEvoy.
She explained that in 2014 she reported a burst stormwater drain outside her house, which was attended to by Joburg Water. “They then left a plastic ribbon surrounding the area but did not tar. I then called the roads agency and was issued with a new reference number.”
Two months later, she called again to inquire when it would be fixed and when the full resurfacing around her water meter, which had been left unfinished since 2013, would be done. She was allegedly told by an operator that there was insufficient information, so the jobs could not be done.
Bertha Peters-Scheepers, spokesperson for the roads agency explained that there is a procedure that needs to be followed for reinstatement. The relevant entity, in this case, Joburg Water, would need to apply for a wayleave with the roads agency prior to making any changes to the road infrastructure. “In granting of the wayleave, JRA is cognisant of the work being undertaken by the specific entity in a particular area,” said Scheepers.
“After work has been completed, the same entity is then required to send a reinstatement order to the JRA.” She added that this is to inform the agency that work in the area has been completed. “It is the responsibility of the relevant entity digging the road to communicate with the JRA through the relevant channels, of their intentions.”
Scheepers has, however, informed the Gazette that a roads agency inspector would visit the site to determine the necessary action, and once the inspection was completed, a team would be sent out to reinstate the pavement.
“JRA is dysfunctional in Region B, if not the whole of Johannesburg. It is certainly one of the worst performing entities. It is very difficult to try to get sidewalks re-instated or repaired, as the JRA seemed more focused on roads most of the time,” commented Truluck.
Details: JRA customer contact centre 0860 562 874.
-
-
-
-
