The change that people wanted to see the DA bring to the City of Johannesburg is finally materialising.
The newly elected MMC for Transport, Clr Nonhlanhla Makhuba, hit the ground running and the results are showing in the quarterly reports.
The DA has used the chance to scrutinise both the fourth quarter reports for the Department of Transport and JRA for the period of April to June 2016 under the 2015/16 financial year, as well as the first quarter reports for the period of July to September 2016 for the new and current financial year of 2016/17.
When comparing the two quarters, it’s evident that change is already happening under the DA-led coalition.
It must be noted that during the fourth quarter, this period was still firmly under the management of the previous ANC-led administration.
The transport department is responsible for Phase 1C Rea Vaya along the Louis Botha Corridor and it is well on target and due to be completed this year. This includes 15.1km of construction completed against a target of 11.5km.
The department is also responsible for the M1 highway between Grayston and Marlboro, of which 80 per cent is complete. This Rea Vaya route will have a link between Alexandra and Sandton, undoing the decades of apartheid planning.
Rea Vaya caters for 50 000 passengers against a target of 47 000. This is good news as the City moves to create spaces that accommodate many modes of public transport for its citizens, and moves away from private car use.
Johannesburg Road Agency is also on an upward trend. Digging up of roads for piping and resurfacing has improved from 61 per cent in the fourth quarter to 75.71 per cent.
Traffic signal maintenance is up to 88.5 per cent, not far from it 90 per cent target. All 2 200 of the city’s traffic intersections have had their lights replaced with LEDs, which have a 10-year longer lifespan than the conventional lights previously used.
The JRA control room is able to detect and determine faulty and problematic signals, even to the point that local radio stations are sent updates to assist commuters.
These incremental changes are a clear sign that CoJ is on the right path towards being an inclusive city.
The DA will continue to hold the DA-led coalition to account and ensure that job creation and improvement to the transportation system remain a priority.
Ward 124 DA PR Clr Meyers
Tyrell Meyers
DA Councillor
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