The Eastern Cape government will spend R1.7bn tarring a 52km stretch of road between Willowvale and Dwesa Nature Reserve – but there is no timeframe for the project.
This was announced by transport MEC Weziwe Tikana at a community meeting in Mevana village in Willowvale on Thursday.
This is not the first time that Bhisho has announced grand plans for the notorious road which claimed 35 lives in a bus accident in 2015.
That year, then transport minister Dipuo Peters announced that the road would be tarred while addressing mourners at a memorial service of the 35 killed.
Tikana said when the announcement was made, the project had not been budgeted for. Now R1.7bn has been set aside to tar the road with phase one, which is 7km, already completed.
Last month, traditional leaders wrote to Tikana pleading with her to urgently address and update the community on the construction of the road.
“It might have been forgotten that the above-mentioned road claimed 35 innocent lives of citizens travelling to Willowvale on Saturday 29 August 2015.
“It was a sad day for the province and many families indeed. The honourable MEC Tikana and honourable premier made a commitment of upgrading this notorious road,” part of the letter reads.
The letter also bemoaned a lack of implementation.
“We noted a gross delay and the community of these villages are neglected by the leadership of the province since promise was made by the MEC of roads and public works [then Thandiswa Marawu] and [the] premier in 2015.”
Addressing the community that packed a marque on Thursday, Tikana said that it was important that the community was kept abreast with the progress of the construction.
“In 2015 Dipuo Peters promised that this road will be tarred. She promised that during the memorial service [of the deceased 35] in front of me and the premier.
“Even though we did not come here for promises but consoling families, but there was a promise made. But the problem is the timing of construction of the road,” she said.
She said Peters made the promise as a government representative so the province could not detach itself from it.
“As the province we are adamant that when government promises to do something, that will be done, even if national is going to give us money or not,” she said.
Tikana also announced that a steering committee will be established to oversee the implementation of plans to fast-track the construction of the road.
Asked when the project would be completed, Tikana could only say it will be implemented in phases.
Phase one is currently in the process of completion, phase two will be 15km at the cost of R300m and is currently going on tender.
Phase three would see 15km tarred.
Nkosi Aplani Jongisizwe of Xonyeni village in Phathilizwe said traditional leaders were happy with their engagement with Tikana and expected implementation as soon as possible.
“We are glad that she responded to our request. This means that our quest for the road to be constructed will soon be fulfilled. From now we want to see action, no more talking,” he said...