The potholes have been more than an occasional inconvenience for motorists using Althea and Sandpeer streets in Weltevreden Park.

Resident Andrew McNair said he had repeatedly reported damaged roads to the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), providing photos and receiving multiple reference numbers.

Despite these logs, he said the issue persisted, with several service tickets closed before repairs took place.

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“I have so many reference numbers from the time when I reported the potholes. I was even requested to send pictures of the potholes, but nothing has happened yet; the tickets just get closed, and we have to log a new one again,” McNair said.

Potholes on Althea and Sandpeer streets were filled this week, but McNair remains concerned about the quality of the work.

“Honestly, I feel it is just a patch job, not going to last with the recent rain that we had,” he said.

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The concern follows an earlier patching attempt on August 19, when McNair could not determine who performed the work as larger potholes were left untreated. He had also questioned the timing of the earlier work, saying vehicles were driving over the material while it was still being applied.

McNair noted that the damaged sections create hazards for motorists during peak morning and afternoon traffic hours. He previously reported that his son’s vehicle had suffered damage after driving over the potholes.

He also highlighted concerns over loose material being pushed onto the roadside and lawn near the bend, warning that rain could wash it into stormwater drains.

“When it starts raining, all of that stuff is going to go down to the drain, and then we are going to have blocked drains again,” he said.

Agency inspects affected roads

The Roodepoort Northsider sent a media inquiry to JRA on Thursday, August 20 at 10:33 with an initial deadline of August 24 at 12:00. The JRA has since confirmed that it is aware of the condition of Althea and Sandpeer Streets and has inspected the area. Acting Head of Operations Mpho Maruping said the agency has an open service request for the location in a media response shared with the Roodepoort Northsider on Wednesday, September 30.

“We can confirm that a service request was logged with JRA under reference 5625596 and its status remains open and not closed or concluded on our system,” Maruping said.

According to the JRA, the streets form part of its efforts to work through a backlog of potholes across the greater Region C area. The agency said maintenance programmes, including the High Impact Service Delivery Operation Restore, are being used to address the backlog.

“Althea Street and Sandpeer streets will be attended [to] in due course, and in the meantime, the affected road section will be made safe,” Maruping said. The JRA did not provide a specific date for the repairs.

Asphalt production resumes

The agency was also asked about reports concerning the City of Johannesburg’s asphalt plant and whether its operations could be affecting pothole repairs.

Maruping confirmed that the plant is operational and that production resumed in August, after reports of the facility being non-operational circulated on social media.

The latest patching on Althea and Sandpeer streets has not been confirmed as JRA work, as McNair believes a private contractor may have carried it out.

For now, the effectiveness of the latest work will be tested by time and weather, with McNair questioning whether the repairs will provide a lasting solution to the road’s recurring pothole problem. (It remains unconfirmed who carried out the work)