Gauteng MEC for Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has vowed to intervene and fast track the completion of provincial road construction projects that have been experiencing delays due to various factors.

On Monday, the MEC went on a fact-finding oversight visit to various road construction sites to assess construction progress as well as to get first-hand information on issues hampering the completion of the projects.

These include the K69 (Solomon Mahlangu Road) and K54 (Tsamaya Road), both in Mamelodi.

Diale-Tlabela said that the department can no longer allow further delays in the delivery of road infrastructure as this has a huge bearing on the movement of goods and people.

“Gauteng is one of the major contributors to the country’s economic growth and our department plays a major role in ensuring ease of mobility in the province, which is at the core of efforts for economic recovery.

“While we continue to invest in construction and upgrades of our provincial roads’ infrastructure, especially in our townships, project abandonment, delays and disruptions remain a thorny issue for us. We would like to assure the people of Gauteng that these projects are receiving our attention and intervention,” the MEC said.

The K69 road construction project, which is being upgraded into a dual carriageway, has been experiencing delays due to encroachments on the road reserve and community protests.

The K54 road project involves the upgrading and doubling of the existing single carriageway to increase capacity, safety and accessibility for existing and future developments along the Solomon Mahlangu Road.

The project was started in 2018 and was expected to be completed by April 2022. However, due to the encroachment of the road reserve, the contractor could not access the road to proceed with construction work.

Diale-Tlabela emphasised that the department is committed to delivering quality road infrastructure in support of the province’s elevated priorities.

“Ours is a people-centred economic recovery focused on improving road infrastructure to facilitate smart and convenient and movement of people and goods in the province. Project stoppages have a negative impact on our economic growth and result in untold inconveniences to road users.

“We will continue with our interventions to ensure that road construction projects are delivered without further delays, at the right quality and within budget,” the MEC said.

Source: South African Government News Agency