Ga-Seroka D4209 Road in despair

GA-SEROKA – Residents of Ga-Seroka, Lekubeng, Manoge, Sekhutlong and Ga-Matlou in Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM), say the D4209 Road, linking them to R37 is un-drivable while R780 million R37 Road upgrade only highlights rural neglect.

For the communities, the 10km stretch of D4209 that should connect them to R37 and the economic hub of Burgersfort and surrounding areas has become a daily battle with craters, dongas and tar peeling off like old paint.

The road, which feeds into D4220 for access to R37 and Burgersfort, is now so degraded that taxis and other motorists refuse to use the routes after rain, ambulances struggle to reach patients. Residents describe it as “deplorable”, a lifeline turned into a hazard.

Motorists traveling D4209 today navigate a minefield of potholes deep enough to damage tyres and suspension. Large dongas have eaten away sections of the shoulder, forcing vehicles into oncoming traffic. Where tar remains, it is peeling off in sheets, exposing the base layer to rain and accelerating collapse.

“The tar road is peeling off in strips. When it rains, those dongas become rivers and you cannot tell where the road ends. We lose tyres, shock absorbers, and time. A 15-minute trip now takes 45 minutes,” said a resident Lucas Seleka.

The plight mirrors broader challenges across Sekhukhune District. A 2021/2023 Limpopo provincial roads safety assessment by Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) found that only 4% of assessed paved roads were in good condition, while 25% were rated poor and 71% fair. Key issues identified province-wide included poor road conditions, faded markings, damaged signage and overgrown vegetation that hinder visibility.

D4209 is not alone. The villages also depend on D4220 to reach R37 and Burgersfort, but that road has been under community spotlight for years.

Sekhukhune Times reported as far back as 2001 that surveys estimated R63 million was needed to construct 15km of D4220, with culverts delivered but no construction following.

Residents told the publication people got punctures daily when driving on D4220 and ambulances can’t pass to attend patients whenever there is a need.

Community leaders confirmed the department sent graders and tipper trucks for re-gravelling, but communities are still waiting on a promised 7km tar section.

However, the decay of D4209 and D4220 stands in stark contrast to recent investment on the R37 national road through Burgersfort.

SANRAL completed a R780 million, 25km resurfacing project between the R555 intersection and K117 in April 2024. The upgrade widened lanes, added lighting, sidewalks and bus shelters. It created 424 jobs and R160 million in contracts for 26 SMMEs.