Gauteng MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure, Jacob Mamabolo, has commended the increasing use of the PotholeFixingGP app, which was launched two weeks ago.

“Since its launch two weeks ago, we are pleased with the take up, seeing that more people are downloading and using the app. More than 4 000 people have so far downloaded the app and are putting it to use,” Mamabolo said.

The Department of Roads and Transport partnered with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop the app to improve the condition of the provincial road network.

The app offers users a platform to report road maintenance issues and updates are also provided on issues reported. The app is currently available on the Android platform.

“Since its launch, we have received the first set of data, which gives us insight into maintenance challenges on our roads,” the MEC said.

Across the five developmental corridors of Gauteng, over the past two weeks, a total of 728 defects were logged on the app. Seventy-three were defects reported on provincial roads and 650 on municipal roads.

The City of Joburg accounted for 239 defects, City of Ekurhuleni 172, whilst 137 cases were reported in the City of Tshwane.

Emfuleni Local Municipality had 39 defects, followed by Mogale City with 32 defects reported. Rand West City Municipality received 21 reports, with Lesedi and Merafong Local Municipalities each receiving one complaint.

“This data is very important, as it provides us with a sample of the maintenance work required, assists us to plan better on resources deployment. This ensures that resources, human and material, are made available where they are needed most.

“The partnership with municipalities continues, as we work closely to attend to those defects reported through the app to their maintenance teams,” Mamabolo said.

The app is an integral part of tools identified in the department’s Growing Gauteng Through Smart Mobility 2030 Strategy to leverage the deployment of smart technologies to improve delivery.

It also outlines plans to facilitate the provision of critical transport infrastructure to assist with the recovery and growth of the economy in the province.

Monthly updates on data collected through the app will be made available to the public to promote transparency and accountability.

Source: South African Government News Agency