City Power and road repairs top concerns for Ward 81
Councillor Joanne Horwitz raises concerns over deteriorating roads, water issues, and budget mismanagement affecting residents.
Ward 81 councillor Joanne Horwitz is sounding the alarm over the deteriorating infrastructure in her ward, which spans from the industrial centre behind her office to the bustling River Park.
Read more: City Power warns of surge in service cable thefts
The ward is home to a diverse range of communities, from formal suburbs to informal settlements, and this mix presents unique challenges for service delivery.
“It is a challenging ward,” she said. “We are dealing with everything from illegal occupations in the industrial areas to illegal building in our suburbs. The disparity between these issues highlights the struggles we face every day.”
She pointed out that a primary concern was the rapid deterioration of roads across the ward.
Also read: JRA removes hazardous barbed wire near Bryanston High
“The roads are crumbling, and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) is not keeping up. In the Kew industrial area, every road needs urgent resurfacing. Some of the potholes are so large they could swallow a car.”
Horwitz, who has raised these issues in multiple forums, added that she often had to involve the local media to get road repairs done.
“I had to rely on publicising a huge pothole near a traffic light before it was fixed. This is not how things should be done. I have submitted detailed requests through the Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) to address potholes and road resurfacing across the entire ward, but progress is slow.”
She also highlighted an ongoing crisis with City Power, which was facing severe budgetary constraints.
“City Power is essentially out of funds, and residents are feeling the impact. There has been a rapid increase in cable theft from streetlights, and now residents are being asked to foot the bill for replacing stolen cables. This is unacceptable and speaks to larger issues with the city’s budget management.”
@caxtonjoburgnorth Ward 81 councillor Joanne Horwitz gives a general overview of her ward ward81 #sandton
♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North – Caxton Joburg North
Horwitz said that the water and sewage issues were also worsening.
She elaborated that burst pipes were frequent, especially as new pipes, which could handle higher pressure, often caused further damage to the old infrastructure.
“We have got an ongoing sewage problem, especially in densely packed areas like River Park, where overflowing drains sometimes flood people’s homes.”
She concluded by stating that despite these challenges, she and residents kept logging the issues, hoping one day something would be done, but the lack of accountability was overwhelming.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We’d love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts!
Related article: JRA faces R70m backlog as theft and vandalism cripple traffic lights
