New partnership aims to tackle potholes in Lonehill

The City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and Lonehill Residents’ Association (LRA) have officially launched a partnership aimed at addressing road infrastructure maintenance and pothole repairs in Lonehill and surrounding areas.

The partnership was launched on September 8 at Lonehill Park on Calderwood Drive and follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Johannesburg Partnership Committee and the LRA on June 12.

The agreement provides a framework for structured cooperation on pothole repair assistance in Lonehill, Lonehill East, Beverly and Pineslopes.

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The partnership operates under strict terms, conditions and Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which regulate the operational scope, quality controls and safety standards required to protect motorists and municipal infrastructure.

Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Dada Morero said repairing potholes remains one of the JRA’s top operational priorities.

“As the City of Johannesburg, we proudly support this partnership and initiative because repairing potholes remains one of the JRA’s top operational priorities,” said Morero.

“We welcome partnerships like the one we celebrate today, as we prove that local government and communities can achieve extraordinary results when we work together within the bounds of the law.”

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He added that while the City encourages structured partnerships, it discourages unauthorised attempts by individuals or groups to repair roads.

City of Johannesburg City Manager Floyd Brink said communication and cooperation between all parties would be important to the success of the partnership.

“With this partnership, we expect communication and cooperation within the parties at all times, respecting the SLAs and focusing on the vision to improve the lives of the communities through visible service delivery,” said Brink.

JRA CEO Zweli Nyathi highlighted the impact potholes have on motorists and communities, saying they are more than just an inconvenience.

“Potholes are far more than an inconvenience; they are a direct hazard to human life, a cause of tragic fatalities on our roads, and a heavy financial burden through vehicle damage. In a city as dynamic and fast moving as Johannesburg, this is a challenge we cannot ignore or take lightly,” said Nyathi.

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The City and JRA have reminded residents that unauthorised pothole repairs or tampering with road infrastructure by unaccredited individuals or groups are illegal.

All road repair work must adhere to the JRA’s approved standard operating procedures and technical benchmarks to ensure the integrity and safety of the municipal road network.