It has been almost 1 year since the MMC of Transport, Councillor Kenny Kunene, with much fanfare celebrated the recommissioning of the JRA Asphalt Plant in Booysens.
We have reliably been informed that there are serious challenges in terms of the supply of raw materials (aggregates) and that from next week, there won’t be any asphalt produced until further notice. This means the City will have to procure from external suppliers, and that road maintenance, which is already a rare site in the city, will become rarer yes.
This means that crucial road repairs like the filling of potholes and holes caused by water pipe repairs cannot take place. Johannesburg cannot afford the current situation to worsen more than it already has.
The current paved road network under the City of Johannesburg is estimated at over 12500km, almost half the coast of Africa. There is an additional 1500km of unpaved roadways which forms part of the network.
In August 2023 at the time of the plant’s launch, both the MMC and acting CEO, promised Johannesburg residents, this would result in substantial fiscal savings for residents, with a production capacity of 200 tonnes per hour, or around 1520 tonnes per day. In terms of roads, this means the plant would enable JRA to resurface close to 2.5 kilometres a day, and in a 1-year cycle without any stoppages, this would be over 900 km or resurfacing way across Johannesburg.
The failure to ensure all procurement related processes in securing materials lies at the door of the MMC. One year later his entire promise of a turnaround in road maintenance has been nothing but hot air, smoke, and mirrors as Joburg residents again are left with no bang for their buck.
The MMC should consider a career as a Moja Love presenter, as he likes parading as a celebrity rather than taking accountability. He could not even answer pressing questions in the Portfolio Committee.
We will continue to fight for the betterment of our City, and we refuse to allow it to be broken down any further.