King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality has taken the first steps towards fixing its decaying internal roads network in some of its suburbs and townships by investing around R22-million in an upgrading project.
The amount budgeted will help to rehabilitate Nombembe Street in Northcrest, Gerald Haw-kers in Hillcrest, 1st Avenue in Ncambedlana and Cray Fish Crescent.
Municipal spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said the roads targeted fell under wards 8, 9 and 13.
“The project is expected to take nine months, so will be completed in October,” he added.
Bathabile Construction has been appointed to oversee the project and work has already begun.
KSD infrastructure portfolio head Nontyatyambo Gcingca urged residents to cooperate with the contractor to ensure the smooth running of the project, saying at least 30 job opportunities had been created.
KSD mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa attributed the state of the roads to the fact that most had already reached their design capacity.
It was compounded by a lack of money to rehabilitate all the roads, she said, adding that close to R1-billion would be needed to overhaul the entire roads and electricity networks in the region.
This was despite the fact that President Jacob Zuma had announced in 2009 that R5-billion would be spent on upgrading ailing infrastructure in KSD as part of the Presidential Intervention Programme.
KSD municipal bosses spent in excess of R13-million buying their own plant to fix roads in 2013.
When asked why the local authority had now decided to outsource the rehabilitation of the four roads, Mampoza was yesterday unable to answer.
Mthatha Residents and Ratepayers Association executive member Madyibi Ngxekana said internal roads in many suburbs had become impassable due to potholes, and the poor state of the roads was devaluing properties in some residential areas because of KSD’s lack of capacity.
R22m project investment to kickstart KSD road repairs
The amount budgeted will help to rehabilitate Nombembe Street in Northcrest, Gerald Haw-kers in Hillcrest, 1st Avenue in Ncambedlana and Cray Fish Crescent.
Municipal spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said the roads targeted fell under wards 8, 9 and 13.
“The project is expected to take nine months, so will be completed in October,” he added.
Bathabile Construction has been appointed to oversee the project and work has already begun.
KSD infrastructure portfolio head Nontyatyambo Gcingca urged residents to cooperate with the contractor to ensure the smooth running of the project, saying at least 30 job opportunities had been created.
KSD mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa attributed the state of the roads to the fact that most had already reached their design capacity.
It was compounded by a lack of money to rehabilitate all the roads, she said, adding that close to R1-billion would be needed to overhaul the entire roads and electricity networks in the region.
This was despite the fact that President Jacob Zuma had announced in 2009 that R5-billion would be spent on upgrading ailing infrastructure in KSD as part of the Presidential Intervention Programme.
KSD municipal bosses spent in excess of R13-million buying their own plant to fix roads in 2013.
When asked why the local authority had now decided to outsource the rehabilitation of the four roads, Mampoza was yesterday unable to answer.
Mthatha Residents and Ratepayers Association executive member Madyibi Ngxekana said internal roads in many suburbs had become impassable due to potholes, and the poor state of the roads was devaluing properties in some residential areas because of KSD’s lack of capacity.
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