Van Damn Street finally resurfaced
JRA finally revives Van Damn Street after years of numerous complaints from residents.
After countless efforts from community members logging in their complaints and councillors tirelessly fighting for action to be taken, Van Damn Street is finally being resurfaced.
In September 2022, residents demanded repairs for their pothole-ridden road and met with Ward 85 Councillor Zoné Hughes. They expressed frustration that the road had needed attention for over a decade, with numerous complaints leading to only minor patchwork fixes.
The street is otherwise well maintained by the residents, with flowerbeds and manicured trees lining the scenic street. A former resident would voluntarily fill the large potholes with sand to accommodate drivers on certain complexes.
On October 15, Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) dispatched road workers to the street and finally patched the large potholes. The Roodepoort Northsider was invited to a site visit with Hughes and residents to see the progress of the road after being newly patched.
“Being on-site and seeing the many happy drivers as they hoot and wave brings me joy because we fought so many times to escalate this matter. Previously, it was a mission there without fearing that your vehicle would get a slow puncture from the massively deep potholes.
“It took over five years to finally get the road resurfaced, but the job is not done. We still want to continue serving our community and ensure that it goes back to being beautiful and well respected,” Hughes said.
The Northsider contacted the JRA for comment, and no response has been forthcoming.
