A large pothole on Ham Street in Witpoortjie continues to pose a safety risk to motorists, with delays and a drawn-out response process raising concerns about service delivery.

The damaged section of the road, measuring roughly 1.2m wide and 15cm deep, has worsened over time. Heavy delivery vehicles operating in the area are believed to have contributed to its deterioration.

Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the department was not previously aware of the issue. He noted that while road repairs fall under the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), JMPD enforces by-laws relating to heavy vehicles and acts when weight restrictions are violated.

Fihla added that JMPD will co-ordinate with JRA to assess the situation and consider additional measures, including signage or traffic-calming interventions. Increased monitoring in the area is also planned.

Ward councillor Rene Benjamin said the pothole was reported on April 1. Follow-up queries were subsequently referred between various City of Johannesburg officials before reaching JRA’s media office.

JRA responded after the Roodepoort Record published its initial article on April 7, confirming it had taken note of the query and would follow up with the relevant depot.

Related article: Calls for accountability as Ham Street pothole worsens

Benjamin later shared a JRA report indicating that the Ham Street issue had, in fact, been logged in late August last year. She added that the agency is dealing with significant constraints.

“JRA has a massive backlog and not enough funding to attend to all the street issues reported. There are 18 wards in the region, and they cannot address all the issues,” she said.

She also criticised the City of Johannesburg’s spending priorities, saying funds allocated to the G20 summit could have been used to address infrastructure challenges.

“They spent R100m on the G20 to make it look nice at the expense of the City,” she said.

Residents responding to the Record’s initial report expressed frustration over ongoing road maintenance issues.

“Same with Shaft Street in Stormill. People drive on the pavement. It’s just easier,” Janize Paulsen commented on Facebook.

Another resident, Yolandie Prinsloo, attributed the problem to a lack of maintenance, while Pentagonist Swazi said ageing infrastructure, rather than delivery vehicles, was the primary cause.

JRA is expected to provide further feedback following its internal assessment, while motorists continue to navigate hazardous conditions on the affected stretch of road.