As of 31 August 2025, there are 988 cases against the Gauteng Department of Roads and Logistics, and they have been found liable in 145 cases, mostly for low-end potholes. This is a clear indication that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s government is failing its residents, who continue to use roads littered with potholes, sinkholes, and malfunctioning traffic lights, which puts their lives in danger and risks damaging their vehicles.
The department has spent R199 137 434.00 on legal costs and settlements in the past five financial years. This money could have been used to maintain the provincial roads and fix between 120,000 and 257,000 square metres of potholes in the province.
This information was revealed by the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, in a written reply to the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) question tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).
See the reply here.
According to the MEC Diale-Tlabela, the following monies were paid in the last five financial years:
• R69 211 677.98: legal costs, and the department was found liable in 145 cases, mostly low-end pothole cases.
• R43 010 988.50: financial value of all the orders by the department in relation to the injuries caused by unsafe road surfaces.
• R86 914 767.71: out-of-court settlements paid by the department.
Of the R422 508 000 budget allocated for roads and maintenance in the past financial year, R82 306 164.21 was diverted to cover legal costs and judgements against the department associated with unsafe road surfaces. This is unacceptable, as the maintenance of some roads was placed on hold, risking lives.
The DA Gauteng demands access to the Litigation Reduction Plan relating to unsafe road surfaces, which was signed in August 2025. We will be tabling follow-up questions on this matter to the MEC and demanding implementation timelines, the names of the roads, and the exact locations where they are affected. The DA Gauteng will monitor the implementation of this plan and conduct various road inspections to assess the progress.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would immediately implement its Infrastructure Rescue Plan, which includes setting up a portal for everyone to view the progress of all infrastructure projects, including road maintenance in the province. It will help reduce the number of lawsuits and the amount of money spent on legal costs and settlements against the department.