The City of Johannesburg, through the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), is pleased to announce that its asphalt plant has been fully operational since Monday, 19 January 2026. This follows the successful completion of a critical annual maintenance programme aimed at stabilising production and meeting Johannesburg’s high demand for road repairs. The City is now better equipped to tackle road maintenance backlogs head-on.

The maintenance intervention at the JRA-owned asphalt plant was essential for the high-duty machinery, which operates under continuous strain. By adhering to engineering best practice, the entity has restored optimal performance levels, significantly reducing the risk of unplanned breakdowns for the remainder of the financial year.

JRA Chief Executive Officer, Zweli Nyathi, confirmed: “The successful completion of this maintenance programme positions the JRA to enter 2026 with a stable and reliable production platform. This proactive intervention was necessary to ensure we can intensify delivery and improve road quality during the current rainy season. We are now able to significantly limit downtime and ensure our regional teams have the hot-mix asphalt required to repair the City’s roads.”

With production restored, the JRA kickstarted the 2026 Operation Restore programme on Thursday, 22 January 2026 in Eldorado Park (Region G). On Friday, 30 January 2026, teams will be working in Naledi, Soweto (Region D), before expanding to all regions across the City.

The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport in the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Kenny Kunene, said: “I am pleased to confirm that we are moving from planning to rapid production and repairs. Through Operation Restore, JRA is prioritising high-usage arterials (Class 1 to Class 3 roads) that are critical to the City’s economy.

“We are also focused on clearing the backlog of resident complaints exacerbated by recent heavy rains. Our residents deserve quality roads, and this rollout demonstrates our commitment to service delivery.”

To ensure a high-impact recovery phase, all JRA regional depots will prioritise:

• High-impact corridors: Focusing on mobility routes with the highest traffic volumes.
• Clearing backlogs: Integrating outstanding resident requests into January work programmes.
• Rainfall response: Ensuring rapid response to infrastructure failures caused by recent weather patterns.
• Coordinated scheduling: Working closely with stakeholders to ensure seamless service delivery.

The JRA remains committed to restoring the City’s road network to a safe and navigable condition for all road users.