The City of Johannesburg (CoJ), through the office of Executive Mayor Dada Morero, recently embarked on a service delivery drive to address infrastructure maintenance and assess ongoing projects in various communities.

The campaign kicked off at Busy Corner, where the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) began by repainting road markings and repairing traffic lights.

The delegation also visited construction sites, including the Kaalfontein Multipurpose Centre and the Ivory Park swimming pool.
The day’s activities covered a range of service delivery aspects across the area.

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Ward 3 Clr Ntutuzelo Supe said the initiative was meant to address long-standing issues affecting residents.

“We arrived with relevant stakeholders from the mayor’s office who are assisting us in improving service delivery in this ward,” said Supe.

“We’ve faced several challenges, including water shortages that led to protests a few months ago. To minimise the impact on schools, we’ve implemented nighttime water restrictions.

“Various departments are here to provide updates, answer community questions, and bring services closer to those who struggle to access them.”

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However, not all residents were satisfied with the engagement.

Members of the Water Trolling Committee expressed frustration over persistent water challenges.

Committee member Cedric Tshirundu said the community continues to struggle despite assurances from the city.

“We are still worried about the scarcity of water in our area. Households cannot function properly without it, yet residents are still paying for services they don’t receive.

“While we appreciate the departments being here, it was disappointing that many community members couldn’t attend because the event took place during working hours,” he said.

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Another committee member, Mthobeli Ndleleni, questioned the timing and motive behind the campaign.

“This feels more like a campaign for next year’s elections than an effort to address our problems,” he said.

“It should have been held when more residents were available to participate. While it’s good to see different departments, some are not addressing our main issues.

“For example, workers are painting roads instead of fixing potholes. Paint will not prevent cars from being damaged.”

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Although the CoJ’s departments made visible progress in upgrading certain infrastructure, many residents expressed disappointment that Mayor Morero did not attend the event in person.

Community members had hoped to receive direct feedback about their previous water-related protests, but the deadlines for promised updates have already passed without a response from the city.