JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi used his State of the Province Address (SOPA) to defend the province’s road maintenance programme.
Lesufi said pothole repairs and traffic light restorations are not election-driven, but form part of a broader plan to fix Gauteng’s infrastructure.
He revealed that of the 31,000 identified potholes, 26,000 have been repaired across the Gauteng City Region.
Lesufi said the ultimate goal is to permanently eradicate potholes.
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He added that the metros of Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni have been tasked with intensifying efforts within their jurisdictions.
Traffic signal repairs also formed part of the address.
According to Lesufi, 4,786 traffic signals are currently functional, while 699 remain non-functional.
He attributed the delays in repairs to ongoing vandalism and theft.
"We are piloting a new alternative technology to assist us with the eradication of theft and vandalism of traffic lights," he said.