R3.5bn to fix E Cape roads

The Eastern Cape’s road network has received a much-needed boost of more than R1.3-billion to fix ailing infrastructure.

Public Works MEC Thandiswa Marawu yesterday laid out her plans for road infrastructure when she delivered her policy speech at the Bhisho Legislature.

In addition to rural road upgrades, provincial government has handed over 33 projects worth R2.2-billion to South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to resurface parts of the province’s national roads, including the N1, N2, R61 and R72.

Marawu said the department would spend R1.3-billion on construction, maintenance and repairing a number of roads during the 2015-16 financial year. These include:

lR120-million to resurface the R61 between Bizana and Port Edward (the Magusheni/Mzamba area);

lPhase three of the road construction to Siphetu Hospital, as well as the road to Madwaleni Hospital;

lR40-million road construction project – DR 8376 to Sabalele village, once home to late ANC stalwart Chris Hani; and

lThe rehabilitation of MR661 between Lady Frere and Queenstown.

Vuyisile Ntlabathi of the OR Tambo Chamber of Business welcomed the announcement, saying rural roads, especially those leading to major hospitals in Transkei, “are indeed an eyesore”. But he called for the state to set more money aside for maintenance.

“Resurfacing rural roads is good news to our ears because this will inject economic development. No investor wants to invest in rural areas because of the state of our rural roads.

“But it is equally important for the department to hire competent companies to do the job and thereafter set a budget for maintenance. It’s poor planning to fail to maintain our infrastructure. That has to come to an end,” said Ntlabathi.

Marawu said the 33 roads projects handed over to Sanral include maintenance, strengthening and rehabilitation as well as improvements and upgrades of national roads.

Among them are:

• The R135-million N2 project between Grahamstown and Fish River Pass;
• R159-million Riet River to Tarka Bridge road construction project;
• Resurfacing of the R61 between All Saints and Bazi, a R114-million project;
• Resurfacing of the R61 between Qamnco and Ngcobo;
• Resurfacing of the R61 between Tsojana and Qumanco; and
• The R172-million roadworks project on the R72 between Port Alfred and Fish River.

Marawu added: “Our infrastructure delivery capability will be optimised when we embrace all the delivery tools at our disposal. To ensure that we provide road infrastructure to all our people, we have signed service level agreements with municipalities.”

Presenting his maiden speech as the premier last June, Phumulo Masualle committed almost R30-billion to revamp the province’s infrastructure. This included resurfacing national roads, upgrading rural roads, and a clear plan to revive railway links between East London, Mdantsane, Berlin and King William’s Town.

This year he announced that more than R5-billion would be spent on roads especially in rural areas, to boost economic development.

Marawu said she had taken the tune from the premier and that road infrastructure “is always receiving special attention” owing to the critical nature it plays in boosting social economic activity in the province.

Police and Mbizana villagers clashed during protests over the neglected state of the R61 a week ago. Seven people were injured, including a police officer who was shot in the arm. Protesters also demand upgrades to eight other access roads between Port Edward and Mbizana.

Resident Zwelihle Moya said: “We will be happy when graders start. We were waiting for the MEC to do a formal report in order for us to determine whether we will go to phase two of our protest. Phase two was going to be continuous shutdown of the town. We do not want to compromise: the road going to Greenville Hospital is in a terrible state. We want that road to be done.”

The department has also decided to implement R81-million worth of road maintenance projects in-house, and would hire new graduates for the projects – the Wild Coast meander between Coffee Bay and Zithulele Hospital, Madwaleni Hospital roads, the N6 to Wriggleswade, and the road between Lady Free and Mkhapus/Macubeni.

“This move is to ensure that funds, which could have been used by consultancy firms are used for developmental objectives,” said Marawu. — zineg@dispatch.co.za