Ngwaabe communities demand proper roads

NGWAABE

Disgruntled residents of various villages in Ngwaabe, states that they have been complaining about the deplorable conditions of their main roads to relevant government authorities for many years.

The aggrieved communities are complaining about the poor state of D2219 Road, which links Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) villages such as Ga-Malekane, Ga-Masha, Ga-Rantho, Maseven, Ga-Maphopha, Ga-Mohana, Ga-Maepa, Ga-Ratau and Ntake.

According to residents, the D2219 is a main road in the Ngwaabe area and currently in a very bad state, with visible potholes everywhere, affecting driving ability, notably, during rainy seasons. 

A community leader, Evans Mabowa, told the publication that they have lodged numerous complaints to the Limpopo Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, to raise concerns about the poor state of the road and were given a cold shoulder.

“Every time when we complain to relevant authorities we get ridiculed. We are worried because the road is in a very bad condition which I can describe as a disaster waiting to happen,” he said.

With uneven roads increasing the chances of road accidents, and muddy roads causing problems for commuters, Mabowa indicated that what is of more concerning is that the road has big potholes and uneven surfaces, causing inconvenience and posing a risk to commuters.

“The condition of the road is very bad for motorists and the residents, it has actually turned into a death trap. We are fortunate that we did not experienced any fatal accident during December holidays. But I can assure you that we are really living in dangerous road conditions here,” he said.

However, Mabowa said a number of vehicles are getting damaged on the same road every day because of big invisible waterlogging potholes during the rain.

“This situation is making it difficult for residents to travel because people do not want their vehicles to get damaged,” he said.

Mabowa said they have written to the Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure and also escalated the matter to FTLM Mayor, Cllr Eddie Maila, seeking their immediate intervention to address their poor roads concerns.

“We have noted that the Limpopo government officials are running around with the Arrive Alive Campaign but they are very quiet about the D2219 Road. Even their campaigns are launched far away from this disastrous health hazard road,” he said.

When contacted for a response, Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) Spokesperson, Danny Legodi, told the publication that the agency will respond soon. However, Legodi’s response could not reach the paper at the time of going to press.