A group of residents from Mpumalanga have vowed to continue camping outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria until President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses them. They want the President to give reasons on the delays in implementing the long promised Moloto Railway Corridor Project.
The 100km railway corridor project with 13 train stations was meant to ease traffic between Pretoria and the KwaNdebele area and also save lives on the Moloto Road, notoriously known for road carnages.
While speaking in Parliament last year, Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, said funding for the project had not yet been transferred to the respective provincial governments, but R17 million had been used on a feasibility study.
However, residents want the project to be under the presidency as it was during the previous administration.
One of them, Sam Masango, says: “The same President must come down because his predecessor made a commitment on behalf of the government. So the Minister can’t come and tell us there’s no money. When is suits them they go to the IMF and borrow money, why cant they go and borrow money.”
The Public Protector has also been roped in to probe the delays in the implementation of this project.
In November last year, the portfolio committee on transport conducted an oversight visit on the development project.
Resident, Amos Masemola, says they are pinning their hopes on the Public Protector as government has failed the people of Mpumalanga and families who’ve lost their loved ones on that road.
“Firstly people are dying, many people are dying on that road. We can say at least 40 people a month, if you calculate that over the years promised, at least for years. They have been ignorant, they don’t want to come to us .”
Attempts by Mbalula to address the group last year were in vain as he was turned away.
Expansion of Moloto road is discussed in the video below:
