A month after urgent concerns were raised about the rapid deterioration of Randa Road, the situation has worsened, with ongoing stormwater flow continuing to erode the roadway and surrounding infrastructure.
Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe revisited the site on March 18 following recent heavy rains, describing a dramatic escalation in damage and warning that the road is now facing near-total structural failure in sections.
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“Not even a month later, and things are getting worse and worse. After the storms last night, the stormwater flowed directly onto Randa Road again. You can see how it’s pulling the road apart even further.”
What was previously a localised section of damage has now spread, with large portions of one side of the road being washed away. “What started as a small washed-away section is now eating into the entire road. It’s extending all the way up.”
He also highlighted the growing safety risks as trees along the road have begun to lean in due to soil erosion caused by continuous water flow.
According to Van der Merwe, the core issue remains an alleged stormwater diversion from Duff Road, where water is discharged through a kerbside outlet into Randa Road instead of being channelled into a formal drainage system.
This, he says, is resulting in persistent surface and subsurface water flow that is steadily destroying the road structure.
Also read: Randa Road damage exposes deeper storm water failures
“This entire road is collapsing because of that outlet. Every time there’s a storm, the water comes down and washes Randa Road away even more.” The damage is now visibly more severe, with additional sections of tar lifting, widening cracks, and deepening potholes.
@caxtonjoburgnorth Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe revisits Randa Road to show how ongoing stormwater flow from a kerbside outlet continues to worsen the collapse of the road, warning that the situation deteriorates further after every storm. Video: Ayanda Ntshingila #caxtonlocalmedia #Localnews #johannesburg #2026 #Communitynews #newsupdate #SA ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
Van der Merwe is calling for urgent intervention, warning that delays in addressing the root cause of the stormwater flow could result in complete road failure and increased risk to motorists and nearby properties.
“With every storm, the damage becomes more severe. If this is not addressed immediately, we are going to see total collapse in parts of this road.“
Despite repeated attempts to seek clarity and intervention, the Johannesburg Roads Agency has yet to respond to the media inquiry sent last month with multiple follow-ups.
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