Death trap: community petitions JRA to finish Rand Airport Road project

Rand Airport Road has long been a source of frustration, anger, and even fear for motorists and pedestrians who rely on it daily.

What was once expected to be a smooth resurfacing project has instead turned into a nightmare for residents, who say the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has abandoned the project halfway, leaving the road in a state worse than before.

A petition, already submitted to the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) Mayoral Committee for Transport and the JRA, calls for the immediate completion of the project.

Residents and councillors say they are tired of excuses, quick fixes, and endless delays while lives remain at risk.

Years of neglect

Potholes have plagued the road, which connects the N12 and N17 and serves as a crucial route to Germiston, Eastgate, and OR Tambo International Airport, for years.

Local councillors, including Clr Faeeza Chame and Clr Tyrell Meyers, together with MPL Sergio dos Santos, have repeatedly pressured the JRA to act.

Their efforts appeared to pay off in June when milling began on both carriageways.

On June 17, the JRA issued a statement announcing that the westbound section was nearly complete and that the eastbound side would be finished by June 27, after which full resurfacing would begin.

But the work stopped soon after that.

Machinery disappeared, crews left, and residents had to drive on a scraped, uneven surface riddled with dangerous craters.

‘Worse than before’

Chame described the frustration of seeing the project collapse midstream.

“For years I’ve been asking JRA to fix that road. It is a main artery road that thousands of cars and trucks use daily, and yet nothing ever gets done,” she said.

“When they finally started resurfacing, the community was excited. But a week later, they disappeared. They left the road worse. My car tyre was damaged. People are having accidents. There are no lights at night, and now the road is a hazard.”

Chame said she was told that around R70m was allocated for Rand Airport Road, but the city moved resources to another ward.

“That’s not fair,” she added.

“Another issue is that the CoJ and City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) are fighting about who must fix the road. Residents don’t care which part falls under Johannesburg and which under Ekurhuleni. They just want a safe road.”

Residents speak

Many residents have added their voices to the outcry, describing the daily dangers they face.

“I’ve used that road for 12 years. I’ve seen two or three trucks break down in one day, cars losing wheels and suffering broken axles. The JRA scraped the road and just left it. It’s unacceptable and dangerous. Somebody must be benefiting while we suffer,” said resident Zac de Beer.

Kyle Thomson, a Ward 47 committee member, said there were regular accidents.

“The road has been deteriorating for years. People are damaging their cars, ripping wheels off. There are huge potholes, some nearly 1m deep.

“The JRA keeps saying there’s no funding, but meanwhile, lives are being lost. About three months ago, someone died on that road because of the stones left behind,” he said.

He also criticised the JRA for filling potholes with sand and stones instead of proper material.

“It lasts a week at best, then the holes reopen. Trucks travel at high speeds, and the road is literally crumbling. It has become a sand road, not a tar road.

A dangerous route

Rand Airport Road is not only vital for commuters but also a key trucking route, used daily by heavy vehicles.

Residents say its condition is worsening congestion in surrounding suburbs as drivers try to avoid it, while those who use it risk damage to their cars and their lives.

The lack of streetlights, signage, and proper barricades has added to the danger.

During rainy weather, the craters fill with water, making it impossible for motorists to judge their depth until it is too late.

“It’s become a death trap,” said another resident.

“Every time it rains, we see more cars damaged, more breakdowns, more accidents. The dust during dry days is just as bad, choking nearby communities.”

Petition for action

The submitted petition demands that the JRA immediately complete the resurfacing, publish a clear project timeline, provide regular progress updates, and ensure transparency about the budget allocated to the project.

It also calls for temporary safety measures such as warning signs and improved lighting until the resurfacing is finished.

Calls for accountability

Residents and councillors agree: enough is enough.

They want the CoJ and the JRA to be held accountable for years of neglect and for breaking promises made to the community.

“This is not just about inconvenience,” Chame stressed. “It’s about lives. People have died on that road. The city owes its residents safe and reliable infrastructure. We can’t wait any longer.”

For now, Rand Airport Road remains a scarred and dangerous stretch, a symbol of broken promises and frustrated communities.

Whether the JRA will give attention to the growing outcry and return to complete the work remains to be seen.

Awaiting response

Alberton Record contacted the JRA for a comment. They acknowledged the receipt of the enquiry and said they would respond, but no official response had been received at the time of publication.

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