JRA still battles with reinstatements as completion rate is at 79%
As the backlog continues, Joburg residents are left wondering when their streets will finally be fully repaired.
The Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) is urging the City of Johannesburg to improve its management and execution of road and pavement reinstatements, following a significant backlog in repairs.
Reinstatements are necessary after excavations are made for services or repairs, which often require digging up roads and pavements, particularly by Joburg Water (JW). Once JW completes its water pipe repairs, the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) is expected to promptly reinstate and restore the affected areas, said programme coordinator for the JCA, Yunus Chamda.
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He added that the JCA had observed numerous sites across the city that presented a serious threat to public safety. “After some time, the red tape that demarcates the danger at a site disappears, and the area becomes unsafe.”
Chamda said that internal arrangements have shifted the responsibility for reinstatement from JW to the JRA, a move that JCA acknowledges as logical, given the differing expertise required for water and road repairs. “Despite this, the city appears to have fallen behind, resulting in a substantial backlog of reinstatements.”
JRA head of regional operations Khaya Gqibitole provided insights into their efforts to address the backlog. “The JRA has teams across all seven regions responsible for repairing road defects, including reinstatements,” he stated. Currently, the completion rate for reinstatements from the backlog stands at 79%.
However, Gqibitole noted that ongoing excavations by Joburg Water complicated the situation. “Joburg Water continues to excavate roads as part of maintaining critical water and sewer infrastructure; therefore, the repair or reinstatement of roads is a moving target.”
In terms of specific regions, Gqibitole highlighted that Regions B and F have the highest number of reinstatements on the backlog list.
The completion rate for reinstatements in Region B is also at 79%. The JRA is committed to addressing all road defects in Region B, including reinstatements, and efforts will be intensified through the Executive Mayor Dada Morero’s War on Potholes programme, which is set to continue in Region B until the end of July 2025.
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