Ward 102 councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete said they’re grateful that the two-year road reinstatement on Pretoria Avenue has finally been attended to and repaired.

The reinstatement was left after Joburg Water contractors excavated the road following a first major burst in February 2024. The road was left with a large hole, and the rubble was not removed, forcing motorists to use one lane.

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Campbell-Cloete explained that the biggest challenge was the lack of communication from the entities.

“After reporting this for months, from my side and from the community, it was only during a meeting with Joburg Roads Agency (JRA) and Joburg Water that the information was provided that JRA must reinstate the road.

Then there was no communication or updates on reinstatement requests logged, which prompted me to engage the city manager on the issue.

“Even after requesting a timeline on the repairs, there was no reply, and JRA did not inform me that they had started with the repairs. I realised that they had started only after doing oversight.”

The ward councillor said there have been moments when she felt the repairs were being unnecessarily delayed.

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“We are all aware of the dire financial situation of the city and the constraints on resources; however, it is unacceptable that some resources can be used for projects like the G20, but our own ratepayers must wait for two years to have a road reinstated that affects so many of them.

“It is not acceptable, and the delays in getting streetlights fixed, reinstatements done, potholes filled and traffic lights reinstalled are neglectful and speak of a local government that just does not care. This also leads to massive frustration on the part of residents as well as councillors.”

JRA has repaired the stormwater drain and reinstated the road. The area is currently closed so it can dry properly. Campbell-Cloete thanked residents who have been involved in reporting and escalating the issue.

“I would like to thank the community for their patience during the process. I would also like to remind the community to please engage their councillors on these issues; it is only when we [all get involved] that we can get these long-outstanding issues resolved.”

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