Johannesburg Roads Agency fleet is forced off the road

Tags

---

25-06-2026
Read : 8 times
The Citizen
Source

The roads agency says it has no further comments after the City of Johannesburg confirmed that fuel supply constraints have grounded the Johannesburg Roads Agency fleet, halting key road services across the metro.

Johannesburg motorists are being urged to prepare for longer delays and disruptions after the City of Johannesburg confirmed that all refuelling services for the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) fleet have been suspended until further notice.

This comes after the city’s ongoing financial and liquidity challenges.

In a media release issued on June 23, the city said the suspension took effect on June 15, leaving JRA field teams unable to operate and significantly affecting the city’s ability to carry out routine and emergency road maintenance.

According to the city, the grounding of the JRA fleet has brought several key services to a standstill. These include proactive and reactive pothole repairs, traffic signal maintenance, emergency storm water and road clearing, as well as routine bridge and infrastructure inspections.

The city warned that the inability of technical teams to travel to repair faulty or damaged traffic lights could increase the risk of gridlock and safety hazards at major intersections.

It also said emergency teams are unable to respond to blocked storm water drains or road hazards, while structural safety assessments and critical maintenance work have been deferred until fleet mobility is restored.

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport Kenny Kunene said, in the statement, that the financial crisis facing the city has moved beyond accounting challenges, and is now affecting service delivery on the ground.

“Grounding the JRA fleet by cutting off fuel services means we are effectively cutting the lifeblood of our operations on the ground.”

He added that, without fuel, JRA teams cannot reach potholes that require repairs or broken traffic signals, describing the situation as a direct threat to the safety of our commuters, the integrity of our economy, and the daily lives of Johannesburg residents.

Kunene said the transport portfolio is urgently engaging with the city’s finance department and executive leadership to find an immediate resolution, adding that the current situation is entirely unsustainable.

The transport portfolio apologised to residents and businesses for the disruption, and said it is working to secure an emergency intervention to restore basic services.

Bertha Peters-Scheepers, from JRA, said the roads agency can’t provide comment, when asked for their stance on the matter.