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Government’s project to eradicate potholes at advanced stage: Mbalula

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Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says a national government project to eradicate potholes is at an advanced stage.

Mbalula was visiting a number of road projects along the N12 in the North West that were previously riddled with potholes.

The N12 was previously riddled with potholes but after the intervention from national government it is now nearly in a drivable state.

Road agency SANRAL has for the past few months been fixing potholes on the N12 where it passes through the towns of Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp and Wolmaransstad.

The work in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp has been completed, with only paint markings needed, while in Wolmaransstad work will be done soon.

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says he is happy with the progress made and that the next major step is to fix potholes across the country.

“I am rolling out a national project and this project will be rolled out throughout the country working with  municipalities, potholes will be closed. I am going to take the money that we have been allocating and use it to close these potholes and even have control over the money in terms of grants we have given to the provinces to direct them where we can account visibly,” says Mbalula.

Motorists have applauded government for doing a sterling job, “If you can check this place is busy so we just want to thank SANRAL for fixing the road and it is very easy for us. It feels much better to drive where there are no potholes because potholes makes our bodies not to be comfortable in a car.”

“Minister has told us that the whole budget almost R45 million and this is what we see logically and construction is doing what is suppose to do,” says another motorist.

According to SANRAL, it has thus far spent R14 million of R22 million budgeted to fix 1,6 kilometres of road in Wolmaransstad.

Project manager Riaan Oerlemans says, “We have recycled 150 millimeter with the material that was there and sterlised it with cement and afterwards, we put 60 millimeter layer on top of that. Last layer will start on the 7th of July with a final surfacing of 40 millimeter and do the road marking. For life spend, we can get five years of use of the road but planning is to come in three to four years from now to do total reconstruction of the surface layers.”

Mbalula’s planned community engagement in Wolmaransstad was cut short when those in attendance became rowdy.

Minister Mbalula assesses road maintenance on the N12 in Wolmaransstad, North West:

 

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