The heavy rain that lashed Midrand on March 23 once again exposed the deteriorating state of road infrastructure in President Park, leaving motorists stranded, traffic gridlocked, and frustrated residents calling for urgent action.

Years of poor maintenance on some former tarred roads, now gravel, have riddled large parts of the suburb with potholes, washed-out surfaces, and blocked stormwater drains.

Among the worst affected were Swart Drive, West Road, Hofmeyer Road, Brand Road, Rietz Road, Republic Road, Kruger Road, Steyn Road, and the notorious State Road, with many motorists forced to manoeuvre through deep potholes, mud, and flooding.

Read more: Rain delayed pothole repairs at Midrand Industrial Park – JRA

For many residents, travelling through President Park after the rain became a gamble. Cars became stuck on damaged roads, while congestion on Midrand’s already narrow routes worsened the situation as commuters tried to navigate the flooded conditions.

Residents said the latest downpour turned already dangerous roads into near-impassable routes. They said the roads have been in poor condition for years, with little to no lasting intervention despite repeated complaints.

In some roads, community members have resorted to using sand, rocks, and rubble to temporarily fill potholes, only for the makeshift repairs to be washed away during heavy rain.

Speaking to Midrand Reporter on March 24, Southeast Midrand Suburban Alliance (SeMSA) chairperson Francisco Panaino described the situation on March 23 as chaotic. “Yesterday [March 23] was a nightmare… And traffic wasn’t making it easier.”

He said one of the greatest challenges in the area is the high volume of traffic passing through President Park from surrounding communities such as Ivory Park, Rabie Ridge, etc.

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“The other thing is the potholes. Potholes are a big, big problem in our area, and it has been escalated, and emails have been sent. Communication has been sent to CoJ [City of Johannesburg] and various officials, and it has reached a point where some community members have been blocked by the officials from all their correspondence, including requests for updates.”

He said State Road has been one of the worst-affected roads for years, with temporary fixes in other roads offering little long-term relief.

“State Road has been a nightmare forever. After last year’s rainy season, it took months for them [JRA] to actually sort out some of the roads. The stormwater drains haven’t been cleared in I can’t remember how long…

The debris that’s on the roads has been used to fill up potholes and State Road… Now and again, they get washed out, and that’s what’s been used to fix the roads every year.”

Panaino added that poor stormwater management has made the situation even worse. He said the lack of coordinated intervention has left residents feeling abandoned.

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“It’s just a continuous battle to try and get this resolved, and nobody seems to be taking responsibility for sorting it out. One of the biggest excuses we receive [from JRA] as residents is that there is no budget and no funding to have it fixed.”

Panaino said residents are willing to assist where they can, but often feel powerless. Another resident, Aliye Flint, said the community has been raising concerns about President Park’s roads for years with little visible improvement.

Midrand Reporter contacted the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) via email on March 24 for comment regarding the condition of roads in President Park and residents’ concerns over the lack of service delivery.

The agency confirmed receipt of the query. Its response will be published once received.

Grab a copy of Midrand Reporter to read more and find out what the JRA has to say about these issues.

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