Illovo resident Ruth Muller is angered by the dangerous state of the pavements in Chaplin Road between Rudd and Oxford roads.
Muller said that she first noticed the massive hole in the pavement nine months ago, but the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has not attended to it.
“I think a lot of people park on these pavements with SUVs and this may have caused the pavement to disintegrate, but I’m not sure,” said Muller.
“When I contacted the JRA recently, they said that they were struggling with constraints because of lockdown.”
Muller is concerned that a pedestrian might injure themselves by falling into the hole or that the road beside the pavement may give in, causing serious injury to motorists.
“I think the local government is only as good as its pavements. The state of this pavement shows disdain for pedestrians and the poor. We pay our taxes and need proper pavements.”
“If the government can’t maintain pavements, what can it do?”
Muller said that she thought of starting a movement called ‘Pavements for the people’, comparing the state of pavements across Africa and the world. “I think that if Johannesburg was subject to that comparison, it would not be called a world-class city.”
She said that she registered a complaint with the JRA seven months ago concerning the problem in two parts of the pavement within the space of 50 metres.
The Gazette sent questions to the JRA on 24 November, but has not received a full response in this regard.
Communications officer Mosa Makhalima said that a query was logged on 23 November. “We have escalated to the relevant department, awaiting their response and will revert,” said Makhalima on 30 November.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/350001/jra-amplifies-repair-work-after-lockdown-hiatus/
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/353042/backlogs-in-road-repairs-at-jra/
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/350358/jra-provides-update-on-the-asphalt-plant-development/
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