Focus required on roads’ maintenance and rehabilitation – MEC Rakgoale

LEBOWAKGOMO – Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure (DPRWI) MEC, Nkakareng Rakgoale announced during 2023/24 budget vote on Tuesday that following an outcry about the state of roads, a conscious decision was taken to put focus on rehabilitation of and maintenance of the infrastructure.

MEC Rakgoale said people expected improved infrastructure investment in Limpopo and the reality is they are currently unable to address all service delivery concerns at a go, due to budgetary constraints.

“We table this budget vote noting the challenges of service delivery in some of our communities and we remain committed to addressing those challenges,” said Rakgoale.

Rakgoale put emphasis on the need for quality designs when implementing road projects. “I must emphasise that the work of the consultants in the business of construction of roads is quite important. These professionals do project feasibility studies, environmental impact studies and material investigation amongst others,” she indicated.

Rakgoale further stressed the importance of strategic partnerships that she conveyed were highlighted by Premier Chupu Mathabatha in his State of the Province Address, when he announced the rehabilitation of the single-lane bridge and the construction of a new one in Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local Municipality.

The project is estimated to cost R127 million, as a result of investments from eight mining houses in the area, who honoured their social responsibility initiative and committed to refurbish the Ga-Malekana Steel Bridge on road D2219.

“In efforts to improve our road infrastructure monitoring systems, we will, through RAL venture into new technology which will assist in recording the condition of the provincial road network, including bridges, through photographic recording of vehicles and drone technology,” added Rakgoale.

The MEC stated that road infrastructure development will continue to support job creation activities by focusing on labour intensive programmes using block paving. “This block paving method of construction will assist the province to deliver road infrastructure in a more cost-effective manner,” she indicated.

She concluded that the department remained committed to deliver quality road network that connected communities to key economic sectors, such as agriculture, mining and tourism.