Johannesburg Roads Agency awaits paint delivery as Ward 94 councillor warns of safety risks on Beverley road
Faded markings on Malbarton Road pose a severe hazard to motorists in rainy weather and at night, according to local ward councillors.
Faded and missing road markings on Malbarton Road in Beverley illustrate a wider road-maintenance problem across the city, according to Ward 94 councillor David Foley.
Foley used the road, which serves a school and several residential complexes, to illustrate the challenges facing the city’s roads. Yellow lines that should run along either side of the road have largely faded, while the centre line intended to help guide traffic is also barely visible in places.
Read more: JRA begins removing Lombardy Road rubble
According to Foley, the poor state of the markings is more than a cosmetic concern, particularly as motorists have to navigate the roads at night and during rainy weather. “If there’s no road markings, you can’t see the lanes at night,” said Foley. “Even so with the rains coming, you cannot see where you’re going. Cars can bump each other. It’s just an accident waiting to happen.”
Foley said the issue was not necessarily the fault of the local Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) depot, which he said was facing challenges with the availability of road-marking paint. He said the depot had, at various times, been unable to access either yellow or white paint, meaning teams could not carry out basic road-marking maintenance. Foley argued that basic maintenance materials should always be available. “This should be standard practice. Painting the roads, fixing the potholes, availability of stock. This is basic sort of management for any business.”
Also read: JRA admits rubble is theirs contractor stored
Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe raised similar concerns, questioning whether the JRA lacked sufficient funds to complete road markings.
In response to the concerns about the road markings, JRA infrastructure development head Kwazelela Mcetywa said plans are in place. “The road markings paint has been procured and we are waiting delivery.” Mcetywa added that level 1 copy painting maintenance will proceed once stock arrives.
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