Johannesburg Roads Agency - meeting Mr Hira

I went to the JRA on Tuesday with Zaheer. We met who I assume is an engineer. At first his demeanor matched the organisation's heavy security but after a few questions, he seemed to warm to us. I'm glad. He gave us an excerpt from a plan. I could more or less understand it. He told us how expensive it would be to fix all the roads in Joburg. To him, too much money had gone to the 2010 World Cup and to the Bus Rapid Transit System.

This guy seemed to take this depressing reality in his stride.

We then spoke to Mr Nellemans. He had an FHM picture or something in his office- at first I thought it was a mug of Vicky Beckham.

A lack of money seems to be a major problem for the JRA, not a lack of will to fix this city's problems. Hira said the JRA basically dealt with crises only because they never had the money or allowance granted to them by the government, to produce infrastructure and to upgrade things.

Then - on Wednesday - I went to Joburg Water - looking for old pictures of or plans for the culvers system (the canal system). No luck with Joburg Water - they were all on lunch.

We also got some maps and aerial pics of JHB from the JRA. However, the guy there idn't have the old plans pics I had asked him for the day before. He wasn't MR Hira. I don't think my request earlier was made clearly.

I have emailed and phoned Joburg Water but no one has responded to me.

At least I got pics of a culver by Bez Valley today. I walked in it. There were also people wlaking in it. t was viel spass ins canal. (It was lots of fun). Stevi and I tried to get into Gillooly's Farm but construction meant we didn't manage to find an entrance!