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Potholes on a road
The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs says it has taken note of the deteriorating conditions of roads and the service delivery challenges faced by the Emfuleni Municipality in the Vaal, south of Johannesburg.
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Johannesburg water systems are in a recovery phase after a power outage at the Emfuleni Substation which supplies power to Rand Water’s Vereeniging Water Treatment Plant. pic.twitter.com/aPO0jaHr21— SABC News (@SABCNews) February 14, 2025
The municipality’s infrastructure is characterized by sewer spills, deep potholes and washed-out gravel roads.
Road infrastructure in the Emfuleni Municipality is in a state of collapse. The state of affairs has left many motorists and residents frustrated and feeling neglected by their own municipality.
“The infrastructure is so bad that even these roads are destroying our cars we are paying license for what when it comes to sewer is so bad that our families are dying because of inhalation of these sewers. We are in an environment that is toxic in Vaal,” says a motorist.
The municipality, which is owed billions by its residents, has also been struggling with waste removal. Some roads have become unusable as a result of decay. Sewage spills, caused by failing infrastructure, have led to significant destruction of road networks.
“We feel bad. We are running businesses. My neighbours run a creche. When it rains people cannot pass. This has been happening for a long time. In the morning, I opened the drain so that people and kids can go to school and people can go to work,” says a resident.
“We have a serious problem here the road is a no-go area as there are sewer spillages. I have a creche and when people bring children, they cannot come in. They say there is a broken manhole. When it rains it really is a problem,” says another resident.
The Department of Infrastructure Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has acknowledged the backlog.
Mamabolo says they are committed to support the struggling municipality.
“The backlog in road maintenance here is quiet a lot. Particularly in the streets and into the households so this is a matter we are going to be looking at. The mayor has written to us as the province to look for support. One of them is roads and waste management. We are going to look into that. From a support point of view, we are looking at working with the municipality to ensure things don’t deteriorate,” says Mamabolo.
Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile has urged residents, businesses, and government departments to pay for their municipal services.
He says non-payment is crippling municipalities’ finances and affecting their ability to deliver basic services such as water and sanitation across the province.
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