Discovery Pothole Patrol celebrates four years of making Joburg’s roads safer for all

Johannesburg, June 04, 2025 – Discovery Pothole Patrol celebrates an important milestone – four years of partnership with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) to facilitate the repair of potholes in the Johannesburg metro.

“In 2021, Discovery Insure launched Discovery Pothole Patrol to support the JRA and CoJ in their vital work of repairing potholes and making roads safer for all users,” says Precious Nduli, Chief Commercial Officer at Discovery Insure. “Avis joined the project in 2023, bringing significant support and awareness. To date, over 280,000 potholes have been repaired through this collaborative effort.”

The initiative deploys eight road repair vehicles daily to support the JRA’s capacity. Through the geolocation-enabled Pothole Patrol app, the public can log and report potholes within the JRA’s jurisdiction. After a user logs a pothole on the Discovery Pothole Patrol app, an inspector is sent to that location.

Where there is more than one pothole on the same road, the Discovery Pothole Patrol team takes the opportunity to fix potholes in the surrounding area of the reported pothole at the same time, broadening the project’s coverage and impact.

So far, repaired potholes have shown impressive resistance to wear and tear. The Discovery Pothole Patrol team has run random checks on the repairs they did at the beginning of the process in 2021, and less than 0.2 percent have failed.

“As a business that keeps people moving, the state of our roads has a direct impact on both customer experience and our operational efficiency,” notes Litha Nkombisa, Chief Sales Officer at Avis Southern Africa. “Partnering with Discovery Insure on the Pothole Patrol has been a natural fit for us. This collaboration is not just about fixing roads – it’s about proactively improving mobility and safety for all road users in Johannesburg.”

Road condition impacts accident risk

“At Discovery Insure, making South African roads safer is an absolute priority across our Shared-Value initiatives,” says Nduli.

“Discovery Insure’s analysis of over 20 billion km of driving data also found that environmental factors – such as road conditions – are one of the leading causes of fatalities on the road, and these dynamics were behind our launch of Pothole Patrol in 2021. This Shared-value initiative focuses on making Joburg’s roads safer simply by fixing potholes, which reduces accident risk and pothole-related claims costs. Since inception, Discovery Insure has seen savings of over R44 million due to fewer pothole-related claims, all the while creating safer road surfaces and conditions for every Joburg motorist,” adds Nduli.

From filling the gaps to building skills

To spearhead sustainable change, the Discovery Pothole Patrol Academy was launched in 2024, also in partnership with Avis Southern Africa, to equip learners with accredited road construction skills.

Following a successful pilot in 2023 with 18 learners, the Academy was accredited by the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA) to offer a 12-month practical skills training programme providing an NQF Level 3 qualification.

In 2024, the Academy provided classroom and on-the job-training to 24 learners through EduWize, an accredited learnership and skills development provider. In February 2025, the first cohort of 22 learners graduated with a National Certificate in Roadworks Construction, empowering them with real-world road construction skills.

“The Academy is a testament to the power of changing lives by helping people build skills they need to uplift themselves and society,” says Nduli. “In this way, Discovery Pothole Patrol speaks to the tangible power of Corporate Social Investment, and fully aligns with Discovery Insure’s mandate of being a Force for Good.”

Driving real change, one pothole at a time

“Our partnership with Discovery Insure shows how businesses can come together to solve pressing challenges in constructive ways, and actively drive positive and sustainable change,” says Nkombisa. “Avis Southern Africa remains committed to collaborating with the JRA and COJ on initiatives that not only improve infrastructure but that also enable empowerment and safer mobility for all.”

“Potholes remain a daily frustration for Johannesburg drivers, but through the Discovery Pothole Patrol, together with Avis Southern Africa, the COJ and the JRA, we’re turning frustration into action,” adds Nduli. “This partnership proves that when we all work together, we can drive real change.”

Discovery Insure continues to promote safer driving through its Vitality Drive programme, which uses advanced telematics to reward good driving behaviour. This is complemented by initiatives like the #DriveNowTextLater campaign, which discourages cellphone use while driving.

To report a pothole in Johannesburg, simply download the free Discovery Pothole Patrol mobile app (available for iOS and Android), register, and then upload a picture or capture your location.

ENDS