A hazardous road defect on Bram Fischer Drive, close to St Stithians School, has yet to be repaired, with the ward’s stand-in councillor confirming she is still awaiting feedback from city authorities.

Stand-in councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete said the issue only came to her attention after it was escalated to her earlier this month. She officially assumed her role on December 1 and said no prior reports about the specific hole had been raised with her before then.

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Since taking office, Campbell-Cloete said she has been inundated with complaints from residents across the ward, ranging from potholes to unresolved road reinstatements. She confirmed that all reported issues, including the defect on Bram Fischer Drive, have been formally referred to Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), which is responsible for road maintenance and reinstatement work within the City of Johannesburg.

At this stage, she said no official response or repair timeline has been received from the JRA. According to Campbell-Cloete, updates from city entities are typically sent directly to the resident who logged the service request, while councillors raise outstanding matters during scheduled engagements with municipal departments.

Safety concerns have been heightened due to the defect’s location near a school and along a busy arterial route. Campbell-Cloete noted that the installation of warning signs or barriers at dangerous sites falls under JRA’s responsibility, but acknowledged that such temporary safety measures are not always implemented.

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Residents have also reported water pooling in the hole. Campbell-Cloete said this would require investigation by Johannesburg Water, to determine whether an active leak is present. She explained that JRA cannot complete permanent repairs if there is an underlying water issue, adding that recent rainfall complicates efforts to identify the source without a physical inspection.

She further indicated that a substantial backlog of reinstatements across the region continues to delay repairs. Once timelines are confirmed by JRA, residents will be updated through official ward communication platforms.

Campbell-Cloete added that she has limited access to historical records due to the transition period, meaning she cannot verify whether the issue was previously escalated. “This is a new area for me, and I depend on residents to bring issues to my attention.”

To improve oversight, Campbell-Cloete has introduced a Google form for residents to report outstanding road reinstatements. She described the number of unresolved sites in the ward as concerning and said she will continue to engage with city leadership and municipal entities to push for action.

She stressed that the safety of residents, motorists, and learners remains a priority.

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