Service delivery continues to be an issue in Kempton Park

Plane Road in Spartan continues to deteriorate, posing a growing safety risk to motorists and the surrounding community.

The Kempton Express visited Plane Road on January 22 and found it severely damaged, despite being used daily by trucks and heavy vehicles.

Hans Jooste of the Sebenza Business Forum (SBF) NPC said the issue has been reported for several years without any meaningful response or repair work.

He expressed concern that the road’s condition poses a risk to lives and warned that urgent intervention is needed before a serious accident occurs.

ALSO READ: City manager visits Kempton Park Energy Depot to address service delivery challenges

“The Sebenza Business Forum NPC and local businesses have, for years and without success, requested assistance from Ekurhuleni Metro regarding the poor state of Plane Road, Lovato Road and Spartan,” said Jooste.

“Very little to no response has been received during the past two years of attempting to resolve this.”

Plane Road serves as a key feeder route linking Sebenza and Spartan Ext 3 with the rest of Ekurhuleni’s industrial areas. It runs behind the Kelvin Power Station and carries heavy daily traffic.

According to Jooste, the most dangerous section is on the bend where Plane Road becomes Lovato Road, beneath the Gautrain rail line.

The road is a vital transport route, serving industrial zones and connecting Spartan, Sebenza, Edenvale, and surrounding residential areas.

Jooste said it is used daily by motorists, industrial vehicles and approximately 50 heavy-duty articulated trucks transporting coal to the Kelvin Power Station.

He attributed the ongoing deterioration to the volume of heavy vehicles combined with the metro’s lack of maintenance.

ALSO READ: City of Johannesburg service delivery drive met with praise and frustration in Ivory Park

Jooste added that the SBF and various industrial businesses have attempted to carry out temporary repairs to improve safety for motorists, staff and clients.

However, he said these efforts are undermined by the constant use of the road by heavy coal trucks.

“In our industrial areas, we need to replace tar with reinforced concrete at intersections and on bends to increase the lifespan and reduce the likelihood of potholes forming,” said City of Ekurhuleni Ward 17 councillor Simon Lapping.

“I have been pointing this out for years, and keep getting the excuse that there is no money. I think the department needs to relook at the excuse book, because I don’t buy it,” he added.

The Kempton Express approached the City of Ekurhuleni for comment regarding the matter. No response had been received at the time of publication.