The core function of the Roads and Stormwater Department of Basic Services Cluster of Emfuleni Local Municipality is to ensure the safety of human life and properties, as well as ensuring infrastructure for economic development through the provision of a functional roads, storm water and road traffic sign network within Emfuleni Local Municipality.

In order to provide these services various engineering and municipal disciplines needs to be performed. The operations of this Department can be divided into two main categories namely, Construction and Planning. Planning and administration is done by Managers and Technicians. No planning section exists in the Department and operational as well as planning issues must be addressed by the same staff. Over and above the normal construction and budget planning the Departments has to enforce proper planning of developments and compliance to Bylaws in the area. This is achieved by evaluating Town Planning applications, services agreements, site development plans, engineering drawings and building plans.

Furthermore, the Department evaluates complaints from public and politicians and subsequently uses this information to identify new projects and prioritize maintenance operations. In the 2006/2007 financial year request for proposals were invited for preparation of engineering services master plans. The existing cadastral information from the Surveyor General’s Office was not reliable and the cadastral information had to be recaptured to enable the Master Plan status Quo to be finalized. The document will aid in the proper planning of future developments and prioritizing of projects and maintenance, looking at the short, medium and long term scenarios.

The Roads and Stormwater Section has three (3) maintenance Depots where is situated in Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging and Sebokeng. Cumulatively they must maintain 1 411km of tarred roads, 1 031km gravel roads, 462km storm water pipes, 194km open channels, 11 155 catch pit units, 144 041m2 road markings and 4 408 road signs in order to provide a functional roads and storm water network. Due to backlogs and personnel constraints, maintenance teams are mainly involved with corrective maintenance with a small portion of preventative maintenance.

The main focus of this financial year is the construction of tarred roads as well as pre-planning of tarred road construction in the outer financial years in lieu of the Government’s attempt to replace all gravel roads with tarred roads by 2010. On the operational side, the focus is to eradicate maintenance backlogs on roads and storm water by using own personnel and to a great extent EPWP program that also assists in job creation. A further aid to the eradication of backlogs is the implementation of annual supply tenders, resealing programs and the renting of key equipment.