Motorists and residents in Pretoria East are set to see relief after the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) allocated just under R14m to rehabilitate Graham Road (M6).

The department allocated approximately R14m to address severe structural deterioration along a 5km stretch of the major economic corridor.

For months, motorists have endured deep potholes, failing traffic lights, and severe congestion, particularly near the intersections with Lynnwood Road and Struben Street, as well as the stretch toward Silver Lakes Road.

Complaints from local residents, repeated escalations by ward councillors, and formal media enquiries regarding hazardous driving conditions date back to January.

Work under way on vital route

GDRT spokesperson Melitah Madiba said the project scope includes milling, resurfacing, and road marking.

Work began on August 26 and is expected to reach completion by October 5, with progress currently at 71%.

Madiba noted that construction has faced delays caused by heavy traffic and rainfall.

She said a traffic accommodation team is managing traffic flow to keep workers, pedestrians, and motorists safe. Future upgrades are planned to be implemented in phases.

Sand repairs fail during rainstorms

Before the current interventions, damaged sections were temporarily filled with sand, which routinely washed away during rainstorms, leaving uneven surfaces.

Prolonged traffic light outages without pointsmen further exacerbated intersection delays.

Residents previously said potholes on the route were causing daily damage to vehicles and that the road felt completely abandoned.

They also said that temporary sand repairs acted as ‘a band-aid on a big wound’ and urged the necessity of permanent infrastructure work, as during rainfall these temporary repairs are washed away, leaving the surface uneven and dangerous.

Local leadership welcomes progress

Ward 101 councillor Malcolm de Klerk welcomed the progress, noting that seeing the intersection upgrades and rebuilding work brought a sense of lasting accomplishment.

City of Tshwane MMC for Roads and Transport Tlangi Mogale conducted site visits and acknowledged the joint effort with the provincial government to resolve long-standing service delivery concerns.

“We thank the Gauteng Provincial Government for working together with the City of Tshwane to address this long-standing concern and improve road safety and mobility across our Region. Working together, we are turning long-awaited infrastructure needs into meaningful service delivery.”

Mogale apologised to motorists for traffic delays during construction work.

“We appreciate your patience as we work towards safer and better roads for Tshwane.”

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