During his State of the Province address last night, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi promised an action plan to deal with Gauteng's challenges, ranging from water shortages to potholes. Lesufi outlined problems facing the province, emphasising the need for urgent action to resolve issues around cable theft, non-functional traffic lights and crime.

WORKING TOGETHER

Lesufi emphasised the need for the government, communities and the private sector to be one to address these challenges. "We must be prepared to adapt and change as circumstances require. I apologise to residents struggling with water shortages, as this is an unacceptable situation. The problem of power failures at key pumping stations and ageing infrastructure is the root cause of water challenges. To tackle the issue, City Power and Eskom have assumed control of operations at the Eikenhof and Emfuleni pumping stations. Repairs to leaks and pipelines are in progress and a war room has been set up with municipalities to oversee the water supply."

He said the province is also preparing for the completion of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project in 2028, which will require significant upgrades to municipal infrastructure.

AFFECTING THE ECONOMY

Lesufi expressed concern over the state of the roads in the province, which are a major concern for Gauteng's economy. "Key roads such as the Golden Highway and Malibongwe Drive are being upgraded, while a 72-hour pothole repair commitment has been introduced. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has mapped all the potholes in the province and repairs are underway."

He said over 400 traffic lights in the province need immediate replacement and that a budget has been allocated for repairs, with private companies adopting some traffic lights. "An intelligent, tamper-proof traffic system is also in development to ensure long-term solutions," he said. Lesufi said the issue of cable theft and vandalism has been a growing concern and that they've intensified efforts to curb it. "Power and infrastructure have been severely affected by this. So far, 1,079 scrap yards and 593 illegal spare shops have been shut down, leading to 716 arrests. A 24-hour response team and tech logs are being deployed to protect infrastructure, supported by a joint reaction unit involving law enforcement and the private sector."