The Find & Fix app finds favour with Jozi residents
11-03-2015
The Johannesburg Roads Agency’s Find & Fix mobile app has taken off in a big way, with an increasing number of residents and customers using it to assist the City to timeously attend to service delivery breakdowns such potholes, faulty traffic lights and other roads-related defects.
The number of residents using the groundbreaking innovation since its launch in May last year has reached 13 000 and continues to grow.
Similarly, the number of logged service breakdowns has gone up to an average of 5 000 a month.
To date, registered users have reported almost 28 000 service delivery breakdowns, ranging from potholes and faulty traffic signals to storm water drains problems and missing manhole covers.
The app has received wide acclaim, with Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Pravin Gordhan describing it as an important “citizenry empowerment tool”.
Johannesburg Roads Agency Managing Director Skhumbuzo Macozoma said the development of the app was a demonstration of the entity’s commitment to delivering an efficient and effective service to the City’s residents and customers.
He said this also showed the seriousness with which the agency viewed road infrastructure breakdowns.
“The JRA is serious about attending to potholes, faulty traffic signals and other road infrastructure issues.
“At best they are an irritation. At worst they can damage vehicles and pose a serious danger to motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and passengers. Since we launched the Find & Fix app, the residents of Johannesburg have come on board with great enthusiasm, resulting in improved positive responsiveness to service delivery issues,” said Macozoma.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Transport Councillor Christine Walters said the app truly catapulted the City to the highest echelons of innovation.
“The Find & Fix app has assisted in ensuring that Joburg, one of Africa’s largest economic hubs, benefits from improved road infrastructure because of faster call logging and improved turnaround times, which all translate into significant benefits for the economy,” said MMC Walters.
Speaking about municipal excellence during the State of the Nation Debate in Parliament, Minister Gordhan said: “The Find & Fix app empowers the citizens of Johannesburg to help themselves and the City by providing concise and accurate information about roads-related matters that the JRA is responsible for."
Tagged “snap it, send it and we’ll fix it”, the innovation, the first of its kind, has also won several prestigious awards, including the Microsoft Application Development of the Year Award, Public Sector Industry Award and Prominent Managing Director’s Award.
The app is freely downloadable on most smart phones.
Complete with GPS, the app provides an accurate location of the problem and makes it easy to submit photographic evidence.
“This complements the JRA’s ability to plan repairs more scientifically based on reports and data received, thereby enhancing efficiency and increasing productivity. We have reduced the average time to resolve a service request from 32.4 days to less than a day,” said Macozoma.
All road and storm water-related issues can still be reported through other communication channels, including 0860 562 874, Twitter @MyJra and hotline@jra.org.za.