Potholes and broken infrastructure in Alberton and the metro sparked public outrage and a mayoral response.

Locals and residents of other parts of Ekurhuleni have watched in horror as roads, traffic lights, and other public infrastructure crumble due to poor maintenance and crime.

The Alberton Record has been inundated with complaints about the deterioration, with residents frustrated by potholes, broken traffic lights, sinkholes, sewage leaks, and other service delivery failures.

The outrage prompted a response from the mayor’s office.

Service delivery war room – CoE: Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza convened the first service delivery war room meeting of the year on January 18. Present were CoE senior management, MMCs, and other city officials.

@albertonrecordPotholes, faulty and damaged traffic lights, sinkholes, and other public infrastructure deterioration in Alberton and other parts of the metro, have sparked outrage and a response from the mayor’s office. Full story on albertonrecord.co.za

♬ original sound – Alberton Record

“The war room is a platform to unblock challenges, track progress, and ensure faster, responsive services for residents,” said the CoE in a statement.

“We will now scrutinise what you are doing in the city’s departments and check if the progress reports submitted are credible and in line with residents’ lived experiences. We want the city to render impactful services to our people. Its service delivery efforts should be strengthened at the local depot level, where residents will feel it the most,” said Xhakaza.

Ekurhuleni was allocated more than R65b by the National Treasury for the 2025/26 financial year to fix roads, maintain the sewage system, and address other service delivery issues.