Ward 98 community calls for urgent reinstatement and patch work repairs to their roads
After a motorcycle accident at the corner of 4th Avenue and Kessel Street, which resulted from the hazardous conditions of the roads, residents are demanding accountability from city officials with ongoing issues leading to reinstatements and patchwork repairs.
Reinstatement and resurfacing issues in Ward 98 have reached a critical point following a motorcycle accident at the corner of 4th Avenue and Kessel Street.
The accident, which occurred on October 14, at approximately 22:52, highlights the ongoing neglect by Johannesburg Water (JW) and Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) in addressing hazardous road conditions that have persisted for months.
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The motorcycle rider was transported to Helen Joseph Hospital after sustaining injuries in the accident, which local officials attribute to the negligence of city entities responsible for maintaining road safety standards.
The motorcycle was left in the custody of a private stakeholder after the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) refused to assist in its transport to a safe location, raising further concerns about the city’s response to public safety.
Beverley Jacobs, Ward 98 councillor, has repeatedly raised the urgent need for action regarding reinstatements and patchwork repairs, having logged the issue with JRA and escalated it within the councillor’s group on September 9.
Despite these efforts, the matter remains unresolved, with JW and JRA reportedly engaged in a ‘ping pong’ game over responsibility for the necessary work.
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“This incident is a clear indictment of the failures of our city’s service delivery,” Jacobs stated. “We need immediate attention to the reinstatement issues affecting our roads and the safety of our residents.”
Danny Nunes, a representative from the Melville Security Initiative and CREASS Community Services, echoed Jacobs’ frustrations, noting that contractors working for City Power have been performing below average reinstatements.
“We are not allowed to apply for wayleaves to do the reinstatements ourselves, which is incredibly frustrating,” Nunes commented. “We know we can do better work, but we are not being afforded the opportunity.”
The poor quality of reinstatements has led to dangerous road conditions, with residents reporting incidents of vehicle damage and accidents. “The reinstatements are not lasting; it feels like these sites have been forgotten,” Nunes added.
“We are left to keep sweeping loose material back into holes instead of addressing the underlying issues.” Concerns have also been raised about the visibility of JW sites at night, which are inadequately marked, posing additional risks for motorists.
Residents are calling for urgent action from JW and JRA to address these reinstatement and patchwork issues as a matter of public safety.
Nunes emphasised the need for a service level agreement that would hold contractors accountable for their work.
“If the city engaged with us, we could ensure that poor work is rectified and improve the overall condition of our roads,” he concluded. As the community grapples with the fallout from this latest incident, there is a growing demand for city officials to prioritize effective service delivery and the safety of residents.
The acting depot manager of JRA did get back to the Ward councillor requesting her to send a list of all the reinstatements in her ward so that they can prioritse them in the programme they are running.
However, as of time of going to print, no comment from JW, who we approached, was forthcoming.
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