The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has cautioned residents and businesses against carrying out unauthorised pothole repairs without written approval as it constitutes a breach of the city’s code of practice and by-laws.
The agency said offenders risk fines, confiscation of equipment and possible arrest by the Johannesburg metro police department (JMPD).
This comes against the backdrop of ActionSA national chair Michael Beaumont’s recent social media video post in which he and an ActionSA team are seen fixing a pothole on a public road.
In the video, Beaumont says: “I have started the ActionSA pothole repair team in my neighbourhood and I am calling on residents of Parkhurst, Parktown North, Rosebank, Blairgowrie and Saxonwold to post the details of the potholes that trouble them in the comments section below so we can fix them too.”
JRA CEO Zweli Nyathi said while the agency appreciates active citizenship, road repairs require technical expertise and strict compliance with safety standards. “Using incorrect materials such as sand or bricks can create loose debris, crack windscreens and endanger motorists and cyclists. It also exposes the JRA to public liability claims for work not undertaken by our teams,” he said.
Nyathi warned that substandard repairs allow water to seep into the road base, leading to cracking and, in severe cases, total structural failure, and significantly increase long-term repair costs. Unauthorised work also poses risks to underground infrastructure, including gas lines, fibre-optic cables, water pipes and electricity networks.
“I’m aware of the jurisprudence on the matter that is very clear about the rights of residents to step in when governments fail,” said Beaumont when Business Day enquired if he was aware his actions are deemed illegal by the roads agency and whether the people seen to be repairing the pothole were accredited to carry out the work.
“I’m not going to entertain any sanctimonious lectures from the JRA about the dangers of others doing the work they are publicly funded to do and yet have failed spectacularly to do themselves.”
The transport department declined to comment on whether it intends to take action against Beaumont. ActionSA president Herman Mashaba did not reply to our requests for comment.
In the communication sent by the JRA, it urges residents and companies wishing to assist to follow due process by applying for a wayleave through its official website or by partnering directly with the agency.
It remains to be seen whether government agency policies apply equally to citizens and high-ranking political office-bearers.
“OMW [oh my word], it is so obvious all this is being done because there are local government elections on the horizon,” a Facebook user commented on Beaumont’s post.
“I see the ANC has taught you guys how to campaign when elections are around the corner,” said another user.
Campaigns and partnerships
The transport department in 2022 launched the Vala Zonke national pothole campaign in reply to a backlog estimated to the tune of R200bn in repairs. The programme to be overseen by the South African National Roads Agency tackles deteriorating road infrastructure in a joint effort by the nine provinces, with aims to standardise and simplify the way potholes are reported by the public and repaired by road authorities through a centralised electronic system and a dedicated Vala Zonke app available on smartphones.
Public-private partnerships such as the Traffic Signal Backup Power programme, supported by more than 52 corporate partners, and collaborations such as the Discovery Avis Pothole Patrol are there to help bolster the efforts, with more than 260,000 potholes in Johannesburg repaired thus far.
When the Vala Zonke project was launched, then-transport minister Fikile Mbalula said the road infrastructure maintenance backlog was estimated to be more than R200bn and 40% of the provincial network was reported to have reached the end of its life cycle. About 80% of the national road network was older than its 20-year design life.
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