The Tshwane metro’s announcement that it has deployed two new jetpatchers worth R7.6-million and certified 28 officials has been met with cautious optimism from local councillors.

According to councillors, residents are desperate for faster and more effective pothole repairs.

However, while the metro said the investment strengthens its war on potholes, councillors across Pretoria east argue that real improvement will depend on communication, planning and how repair work is prioritised.

Ward 47 councillor Lida Erasmus said she believes the project has the potential to speed up repairs.

“The project started under former mayor Cilliers Brink. It should speed up pothole replacements,” she said.

She explained that the machines had already been ordered while her party was in government, but delivery had not yet taken place before they left office.

Erasmus said residents in Region 6 have been reporting more potholes than what appears in the system.

“It remains unclear whether the new machinery will make a real difference.”

Erasmus encouraged residents in her ward to continue reporting issues.

Ward 83 councillor Andrew Lesch shared a different concern, saying he was not aware of the initiative to purchase the jetpatchers.

“They must have people on the ground that will assist them with pointing out areas that should be prioritised,” he said.

Lesch stressed that councillors play a key communication role between the municipality and residents, especially regarding potholes.

He said the department should consider the number of reports and deploy inspectors to assess road conditions, as many require resurfacing rather than only patching.

“Currently, the most reported potholes in my ward are in Constantia Park and Newlands.”

Ward 56 councillor Shaun Wilkinson said Pretoria is dealing with a large number of road issues.

“Sanford and Richmond have been broken for over a year,” he said.

Wilkinson noted that although the metro has acquired the jetpatchers, it is unclear how it will prioritise which roads to fix.

He questioned how the R43-million road-repair budget will be spent and whether there is a system to ensure fair distribution across 107 wards.

Wilkinson added that many roads require resurfacing rather than temporary patching, and that communication from the metro on how repairs will proceed remains essential.

Roads and Transport MMC Tlangi Mogale said the new machines will significantly boost the metro’s repair capacity.

“Jetpatchers clean, fill and seal potholes in one continuous process, with the ability to patch between three and five kilometres of road a day.”

Mogale said the upskilling of 28 officials ensures the machines will be operated at a high technical standard, improving repair quality and speed.

She added that over the past year, the metro resurfaced more than 220km of roads, completed 78km of proactive resurfacing, and repaired 14 072 of the 18 067 potholes reported, achieving a completion rate of 78%.

“The city has allocated R43-million for repairs this financial year, prioritising regions 3 and 6, with plans to expand proactive maintenance once backlogs stabilise.”

Mogale said the metro remains committed to rebuilding internal capacity and delivering a safer and more reliable road network, adding that the new equipment marks another step toward a more resilient capital city.

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