CoJ launches pothole drive totalling close to R150m

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27-06-2025
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Moneyweb
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In a major push to fix crumbling roads, the city is rolling out a resurfacing and repair programme across high-traffic areas.

The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) is taking bold steps to fix its crumbling roads, with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) earmarking R149.9 million for a major pothole and resurfacing programme in the 2025/26 financial year.

The initiative, which prioritises areas such as Kliptown, Nasrec, Eldorado Park, Sandton, and parts of the M1, will upgrade 85km of severely worn roads.

In a statement, the CoJ said the areas that will be prioritised were identified following a Visual Conditions Assessment (VCA), which categorises road conditions ranging from “poor, very poor, fair, good, and very good”.

Roads that are classified as “very poor” require either reconstruction or road resurfacing. This targeted approach addresses roads that have reached their useful life, especially those accommodating high volumes of traffic, public transport operations, and essential routes for freight movement, it said.

The CoJ noted that the programme will run concurrently with the JRA’s extensive road maintenance agreement inclusive of pothole patching, crack sealing and deep patching.

The JRA will use asphalt produced in-house at its Booysens Asphalt Plant, ensuring quality control and efficiency.

‘Excavation’ holes also in line for repair

The roads agency has also developed a regional road reinstatement programme to restore roads and sidewalks excavated by other service entities.

The CoJ says most excavations are caused by Johannesburg Water (JW) executing infrastructure repairs on the road reserve. The JRA and JW entered into a service level agreement that reduced 75% of the 10 000-strong reinstatements backlog citywide in the current fiscal year.

“We understand the immense frustration caused by the current state of the city’s roads,” says JRA CEO Zweli Nyathi.

“This increased budget, up from R105 million last financial year, reflects our commitment to addressing roads that have deteriorated beyond repair and will restore the public’s trust in our infrastructure. We are focused on delivering tangible improvements that will alleviate the daily challenges faced by commuters.”

Bomb squad

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero bemoaned the state of rot in the city and declared war on potholes in May.

He introduced a “bomb squad” that will target and eliminate systemic barriers hampering service delivery and development as part of the Presidential Support Package’s first mission, a comprehensive turnaround strategy.

The squad is headed by 73-year-old Dr Snuki Joseph Zikalala.

Private sector collaboration

Discovery launched a Pothole Patrol in collaboration with the JRA in 2021. So far more than 280 000 potholes have been repaired through this initiative, which deploys eight road repair vehicles daily to support the JRA’s capacity.

The public can log and report potholes within the JRA’s jurisdiction through the geolocation-enabled Pothole Patrol app, and an inspector will be sent to that location.

Kenny Kunene, member of the mayoral committee for transport, says he acknowledges the historical challenges contributing to the CoJ’s road infrastructure backlog.

“Johannesburg’s Road infrastructure, in some areas, was not designed for today’s traffic volumes. Resurfacing main arterial roads is critical to ensuring safe and efficient mobility, especially on municipal highways and other key commuter routes that are vital for the city’s economic and social growth.”