My broken Johannesburg

by Ian Sanders

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Last modified 11 September 2026

Disclaimer

The intent of this page is to give me a venue to "blow off some steam" about the way my home city is being destroyed by those who should be nuturing it and those who should care about it because they live here too. I will also (very occassionally, I imagine) wonder at amazing things that happen here.

I am not going to go back into the history of the "fall of Johannesburg" unless it is required to give context to my writings.

Infrastruture

• Friday 11 September 2026

  • On my way to take my son to school I have to cross Queen Street in Kensington. This road has been in a dire state since there was a burst main sewer under the road in around March 2025. Earlier this year (May to July) CoJ repaired the sewer but did not bother to fix the road afterwards. The pot holes have been getting bigger and deeper in the ensuing months. The heavy rains of last week turned the road into a swampland with some very deep and dangerous pot holes. Over the last few days numerous vehicles have driven into and been swallowed by these pot holes. See some examples below.

    

    There was yet another car trapped this morning.

    I wonder how long it will be before the road is repaired?

    Note that a bit further up Queen Street, at the intersection with Highland Road, there are traffic lights that haven't worked for at least 2 years.

  • At the intersection of Smith Road and Sovereign Street in Bedfordview (near to Reddam House Bedfordview) there was a blocked storm water drain that had flooded the road. This has happened before and a proper repair was not done.

People