COUNCILLOR MARCELLE RAVID, WARD 73,

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Latest Update 2010.05.25

Councillor Marcelle Ravid visited the site where the damage had occurred on Westwold Way, Saxonwold, together with the Regional Operations Manager, JRA (Johannesburg Roads Agency), and advised the following:

JRA had a number of workmen on the site.    They were, however, hampered by a generator which had malfunctioned and were waiting for a new one.

It is no small matter.   It appears that there is underground seepage from old storm water drains and they are going to have to first unblock these drains and then put in a new section of piping.      Many pipes are clogged with a thick clay-like mud.

But it seems they understand the problem and are working according to a plan.    Councillor Ravid does not expect this to be a quick fix but it will be done thoroughly.

They have tried to make one lane as passable as possible in the meantime.

Councillor Ravid hopes this is of some use to residents and allays fears somewhat.

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Catching up with Ward Councillor Marcelle Ravid
It’s all systems got for the World Cup but service delivery is still slow.
 Despite the state of service delivery in Johannesburg, a constant source of headline news for the media, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With a little encouragement and a whole lot of pressure, government departments can do their jobs properly and timeously.
For example, it is heartening to know that the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has promised to eliminate the backlog of potholes and reinstatements of both roads and pavements by the end of the first quarter. (So if you know of any problem spots please forward the details to me.)
But be warned,  the roads resurfacing budget has been slashed and only 350 of the original 1000 roads will be resurfaced in Johannesburg this financial year and most of those are on soccer stadium routes. R79 million was allocated for this but that is a staggering one tenth of the amount actually needed to finish the job.
Lately, and much to their credit, residents’ associations (SAPRA being a forerunner), are taking on more and more of the city's responsibilities as service delivery falters. To make matters more difficult, council’s budgets have been cut to the core so money is strictly prioritized. Funds have been allocated to the BRT and the World Cup and as a result certain services have been put on hold.
In response, residents’ associations have taken it upon themselves to repaint curbs, employ their own cleaning staff and collect money for much-needed speed bumps and traffic circles. Johannesburg's Mayoral Committee has admitted that the allocation of less than 2% of operating expenditure for maintenance is well below that of the national average and simply insufficient to maintain the city’s assets.
For Saxonwold and Parkwood residents, the success of the ground- swell of public interest in the proposed plans for the BRT on Oxford Road, has managed to prevent any hasty decisions by the Transportation Department that would impact negatively on the suburbs. The Environmental Impact document is being assessed by Gauteng Provincial Agriculture Department and a decision has been promised by the end of the first quarter of 2010. If this decision is not acceptable, the public has thirty days in which to lodge an objection.
 As the FIFA World Cup draws nearer, the energy and vibe will become tangible. The question to ask will be; ‘Do I have a transport plan on match days? ‘
Jo’burg will be jam-packed and with thousands of local and international soccer fans and tourists and hopefully by then the Johannesburg Tourism Company will have a plan in place to capture the imagination of the residents and help us give a wonderfully warm welcome to our visitors in this, our amazing home city of Jo’burg!
 Marcelle Ravid is the councilor for Ward 73 of the City of Johannesburg. Contact her on 011 728 6338 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or go to www.da.org.za
The views of the Democratic Alliance are not necessarily those of SAPRA.