Update: JRA admits pothole challenges, but Broadacres resident says action is missing

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13-06-2025
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Fourways Review
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Khaya Gqibitole from the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) confirmed that Pine Road is scheduled for resurfacing this financial year. He said JRA was addressing road damage caused by heavy rainfall through the installation of subsoil drainage systems.

Broadacres resident Maj Saffari has raised his voice over deteriorating road conditions, particularly along Pine and Lombardy roads.

Saffari said the roads were not just an eyesore but a daily hazard. “The potholes are layered on top of each other. Some are filled with water, making it impossible to judge their depth. It’s a constant worry for every driver.”

Adding to his frustration is the issue of malfunctioning streetlights, which, according to him, remain on 24/7, wasting electricity and reflecting broader maintenance issues.

Responding to Saffari’s complaints, JRA’s acting head of infrastructure planning, Khaya Gqibitole, confirmed that the agency was aware of the infrastructure challenges in Fourways and had already set plans in motion.

“Pine Road is scheduled to be resurfaced within the current financial year. JRA continues to assess and prioritise roads requiring urgent attention, particularly those impacted by potholes and general wear,” said Gqibitole.

“Some of the roads in Region A, which includes Fourways, have been compromised by unusually heavy rainfall this year that raised the water table.”

He said to address this, JRA was initiating the installation of subsoil drainage systems, aimed at managing groundwater ingress and stabilising the road base for longer-lasting repairs.
However, Gqibitole acknowledged that despite strides in planning and coordination, persistent challenges remained, including delays in implementing provincial road projects and funding constraints.

Key routes such as Cedar and Witkoppen roads fell under the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT), which was responsible for maintaining provincial roads and played a critical role in long-term planning.

In response to questions about broader infrastructure improvements in the face of rapid development in the area, Gqibitole explained that JRA and the City of Johannesburg worked under a regulatory framework that ensured developers contributed to road infrastructure upgrades.

“Development applications are also circulated to the GDRT for input and upgrade requirements affecting provincial roads. While significant strides have been made in the upgrading of road infrastructure in the Fourways area, challenges persist, such as delayed implementation of planned provincial roads projects, environmental constraints, roll-out of dedicated public transport services such as BRT and Gautrain, and funding gaps for major road construction.”