At least 65% of the road network in Gauteng is in a bad state, facing issues from potholes to dysfunctional traffic lights.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi recently highlighted this issue during a media briefing held in May 2025.
During the briefing, the Premier revealed that, of the 4,500 roads under the provincial government’s control, only 35% of them were in good condition.
The remaining 65%, therefore, equates to roughly 2,925 stretches of tarmac riddled with potholes and broken infrastructure.
Lesfui stated that the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) is directing resources towards research that will identify key areas in need of assistance.
“We have appointed the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to assist us with mapping potholes in the province,” he said.
“According to the latest report from CSIR, our province has 5,400 km of road Infrastructure, comprising 5,000 km of tarred roads and 1,800 km of gravel roads.”
The Premier added that funds have been allocated to fix Gauteng’s roads.
“To address these challenges, we have allocated R1.5 billion for immediate road repairs and maintenance,” he said.
“Additionally, by the end of 2025, we will take over the coordination of road maintenance programmes currently managed by provinces and municipalities to ensure more efficient service delivery.”
Ongoing repairs
Earlier this year, the GPG announced that it would embark on a major overhaul of its transport infrastructure, starting with fixes to its traffic lights and potholes.
In the annual Budget Speech delivered on 18 March, the GPG stated that it has allocated R7 billion towards the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport for the 2025/2026 period.
Additionally, it said it would set aside a greater R28 billion over the coming years as part of the province’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework.
One month prior in February, Lesufi identified potholes as “problem number four” on a list of the most serious issues affecting Gauteng.
Consequently, the province earmarked several important roads for resurfacing, including:
- Golden Highway
- Garsfontein Road
- Malibongwe Drive
- K101 Olifantsfontein Road
- D1814 Bronkhorstspruit Road
The GPG also stated that it would prioritize key intersections in both Joburg and Pretoria.
The other area of concern Lesufi identifies concerns traffic lights, many of which have been damaged in recent years.
Traffic lights are a common target for thieves because they contain valuable metals such as copper and aluminium, which can be easily sold as scrap on the black market.
In other cases, robots are vandalized or damaged by motorists in accidents, the latter of which prompted Lesufi to call on drivers to “stop kissing traffic lights” with their cars.
The end result is that there are an estimated 400 non-functioning traffic signals around Gauteng, creating congestion issues for residents.
It’s also a substantial financial burden for the city, which previously revealed that it costs roughly R300,000 to repair a damaged robot.
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