Here’s how many potholes were repaired in Gauteng in the last year

Other challenges include infrastructure backlogs, implementation delays, contractor performance, project disruptions, and financial pressures. While the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT)’s annual report reflects significant progress, the Department admits that challenges remain, including potholes. The annual report provided an outline of the Department’s performance during the 2025/26 financial year and the maintenance implemented across the province over the past five years. This includes 52 000 pothole repairs, 30 new jobs created through three Smart Licensing Centres in Mamelodi, Soweto and Mohlakeng, amongst other developments. Moneyweb reported last month that 23 572 potholes were reported to the Johannesburg Roads Agency alone in the last half of 2025, averaging about 3 900 a month. Other challenges include infrastructure backlogs, implementation delays, contractor performance, project disruptions, financial pressures, and capacity constraints that continue to affect delivery in some areas. Challenges plaguing the Department “We are not claiming that every challenge has been resolved,” MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, noted. “The infrastructure backlog remains, road safety remains an urgent concern, and areas of underperformance require focused corrective action,” said the MEC. She emphasised that the department will work to strengthen project planning, contract management, programme monitoring, and consequence management to identify and improve performance. Improvements amidst non-compliance “This will include strengthening alignment between planning, budgeting, and implementation to ensure targets are properly resourced, measurable, and supported by clear responsibilities and timeframes,” she noted. Diale-Tlabela also indicated that the next phase of delivery must build on existing gains while addressing weaknesses identified through performance and oversight processes. This comes after the MEC raised ‘deep concern’ after noting increased non-compliance in the taxi industry. “Gauteng requires a well-maintained road network, public transport facilities that are safe and functional, enforcement that protects law-abiding road users, and infrastructure investment that supports economic growth and creates opportunity,” the MEC emphasised. ‘The department must be judged by service delivery’ Diale-Tlabela said that the department must be judged by its delivery: “fixing roads before deterioration becomes a greater burden, restoring vandalised traffic infrastructure, providing safe and dignified public transport facilities, bringing licensing services closer to residents, and directing infrastructure investment towards economic opportunity.” This comes after the annual report reflected many efforts made towards road maintenance and safety, along with upgrades made to prolong the lifespan of key infrastructure. The Department has identified several immediate priorities to strengthen delivery and improve the province’s transport system. These include: finalising the sustainable mobility strategy, strengthening implementation of the Integrated Transport Master Plan, advancing the establishment of the Transport Authority of Gauteng, and setting clear targets for road maintenance, rehabilitation and infrastructure delivery. ‘Translating priorities to measurable targets’ While prioritising and advancing Transit-Oriented Development, expanding the use and adoption of smart technologies and linking youth employment and skills more directly to infrastructure programmes. The MEC said that the plan is to ensure that priorities are translated into measurable targets with clear timeframes and strengthened monitoring mechanisms. “The Annual Report demonstrates that substantial work has been delivered, including major road and bridge projects, the restoration of public infrastructure, improved access to government services and the creation of numerous work opportunities,” Diale-Tlabela noted.