|
THE Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) sees beyond the 2010 soccer World Cup. This was according to the JRA’s Managing Director Duduzile Maseko. She was addressing the media after a successful and impressive City tour at the state of the art’s Joint Command Center (JCC) located at the JRA’s Head Office on Friday of the 14 May 2010.
She said the JCC was ready for any eventuality during the football tournament. "This facility will be fully operational and will include multidisciplinary teams to be deployed at the centre and in every venue operating as well as on the ground. Mobile command vehicles with cameras will be deployed to ensure that any major security risk is attended to”, said Maseko.
The tour which was organised by JRA started at Vasco Da Gama Bridge in Alexandra township. The bridge has been built across the Jukskei River, extending to Vasco da Gama Road and linking the northern parts of Alexandra to the Far East Bank and the Alexandra Renewal Project’s Extensions 5 - 10 housing projects. The media and delegates — some from African countries, took a trip on the newly initiated transport system (Rea Vaya). In a bid to deal with the escalating transport problems faced in Jo'burg today, the City has introduced the Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT); which is expected to play a vital role during the 2010 soccer World Cup.
PRIORITY BUILDING: People pass the JRA building which houses the JCC specially for the Soccer World Cup
At the JCC, where the tour ended, the Managing Director told the delegates and journalist that JRA was looking beyond the 2010 soccer World Cup, and that the company might look at using the JCC to improve and expedite service delivery in the near future. “Beyond 2010, we want more cameras so that we are able to pick up potholes, traffic signals, manholes, regulatory operating system, road markings.
“BRT roads are our main priorities, the target for our project was the 15th of May; but obviously the strike and rains had negative impact, but road infrastructure will be completed and geared up a week before the World Cup” added Maseko.
Lourens Erasmus, the Engineering Programme Management Office (EMPO), said during World Cup and beyond the joint management centre’s day to day operation might include among others :
|
CONFIDENT: JRA MD Duduzile
Maseko with a journalist
|
The BRT system is designed to provide a high quality and cost effective transport system. The tour was aimed at showcasing JRA’s major projects ahead of the soccer tournament. JRA was also proud to show off the newly constructed Koma road. The section of Koma road under consideration is situatedwithin Soweto bordering the townships of Molapo, Mapetla, Senaone and Moroka. The tour also took to Ellis Park BRT station, where the delegates got onto the BRT Bus, embarking and disembarking at the Chancellor House station, all the way to Thokoza Park station.
WAY UP: JRA Tour guides showing the delegates and media their projects
JCC READY: Lourens Erasmus and Thulile Masilela .
“Monitoring of the traffic signals and despatch resources to fix [potholes], monitoring of the traffic flow at anytime and send resources to attend, call taking and dispatching, coordinate and manage activity and plan for events and joint operations.”
|
|