Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) depot workers will return to work on a full-time basis from February 16 following a directive from Johannesburg acting city manager Floyd Brink.
The roads agency had to reduce capacity at its depots following the implementation of Covid-19 regulations in March 2020 and it not being declared an essential service. This has significantly affected the repair and maintenance of road infrastructure throughout the city.
For a period of five months, the JRA was unable to produce asphalt to carry out crucial repairs of potholes and road resurfacing. For almost two years, it operated with two-thirds of its usual workforce at any given time.
City of Johannesburg Transport MMC Funzela Ngobeni welcomes the decision to issue a directive instructing all JRA employees, especially general workers normally stationed at the city’s depots, to return to work on a full-time basis with immediate effect.
"I hope that JRA employees who are subject to this directive recognise their importance in enabling the city to deliver effective services and to get Johannesburg working again.
"With my office spearheading the rollout of the A Re Sebetseng region-by-region service delivery blitz campaigns, the additional manpower will ensure that service requests logged by residents will be addressed more quickly than before," he says.
Further, as per the directive, no JRA employee is permitted to negotiate to work from home. Identified vulnerable employees must be managed in line with occupational health and safety provisions.
The roads agency must also adhere to health and safety protocols related to hand sanitisers, screening, face masks and hygiene, Ngobeni adds.