The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has completed the upgrading of a 5km stretch of road in Diepsloot which included surfacing and paving of the road as well as kerbing along the pavement alongside it.

The JRA has also undertaken several roads construction projects in Diepsloot, with new roadbeds completed along Boswa, Tjhesa, Joy, Livhuwani, Phenduka, Swakahle, Katatura, Impala and Baleka Streets during the course of the last financial year.

“It is our mission to provide quality roads that are accessible, safe and livable for our communities. The well being of our communities is a priority and the main objective of these projects is to improve the safety of all road users and facilitate economic development through improved mobility,” says Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport, Christine Walters.

JRA managing director, Skhumbuzo Macozoma, explains that a total of R9,4 million was spent on the Diepsloot Roads Upgrade Project during the 2013-2014 financial year. A further R47 million has been set aside for roads upgrades in the current financial year. The Diepsloot Roads Upgrade Project has been active for seven years.

The Gravel Roads Upgrade Programme, of which the Diepsloot Roads Upgrade Project forms part, has been implemented since 2001 and began with roads in Soweto. Following the completion of tarring roads in Soweto the programme was extended to five townships. These were Diepsloot, Braamfischerville, Doornkop, Ivory Park and Orange Farm.

In the 2013-2014 financial period, three more townships; Thulani, Tshepisong and Lawley were added. For the current financial period Protea South and Driezik have been added. It is expected that more townships will be included during the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) period.

Macozoma says the JRA programmes were responsible for the creation of around 300 jobs in 2013-2014 year alone.
“The development of social infrastructure enables the transformation of communities through the establishment of basic and linkage infrastructure that connects them to economic activity,” maintains Walters.