K60 road construction on hold due to budget removal
FOURWAYS – Gauteng province has removed the K60 road budget and that has had residents in the Fourways area fuming and petitioning.
The development of the K60 provincial road has been put on hold after its budget was removed by the Gauteng Provincial Government.
This new upgraded road, complete with a new intersection on Main Road, was to replace the existing Witkoppen Road with its narrow and crumbling sections and dangerous low-level bridges to become the main thoroughfare for traffic eastwards from Fourways.
According to the Magaliessig Action Forum [MAF] based in Fourways, a number of years ago the Gauteng Provincial Government created plans to upgrade and re-route this road through the ‘Clay Oven’ site and behind the suburb of Paulshof. It will then be a single major arterial route from Honeydew through to Midrand and beyond.
Chairperson of the forum Mary Hannah said, “As MAF we are trying to get involved to help ensure budget is reinstated because action needs to happen in order for the road to be constructed. For almost three years we’ve been told the project is on the provincial cards but still nothing is happening.”
Construction was supposed to commence this year but to date, nothing has happened, as confirmed by Ward 93 councillor Candice James.
James started a petition, urging residents to act now to put the K60 back into the provincial budget for 2019/ 2020 to get the tender process ready to have the road built. “I’m hoping to show province that we are in desperate need for this road and that it is essential that it gets put back into the budget as soon as possible.”
“It’s important to all residents. The traffic on Witkoppen is madness, the crime from the road reserves and these pieces of land are not maintained by province.”
James said to residents on the petition website that they are closing in on 1 700 supporters. “Unfortunately this online petition is incomplete for a provincial petition.”
Chairperson for Paulshof Residents and Ratepayers Association Karen Koch said, “Councillor Candice James informed me about the budget removal on 23 September. Paulshof is divided about the K60, some people are in favour of it as it is long overdue and expected to alleviate traffic on Witkoppen and possibly resolve the problem with the informal settlements behind Chilli Lane.
“Others oppose it as they believe it will lead to an increase in crime and traffic noise.”
Spokesperson of the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport Theo Nkonki said, “The K60 project is currently on the list of projects to be funded for 2020/21 financial year.”
A walk on Umhlanga Road in Paulshof with James brought to light the necessity of the K60 road. “There is so much crime happening in these empty spaces, there’s a lot of cleaning that is done to try to make the place not so ideal for criminals to penetrate the homes around but it doesn’t help. I just want to see the road finally under construction and done to help with traffic and to put a stop to the crime.”
James further urged that petition supporters fill in more than just their names on the detail form on the site.
Related Article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/fourways-review/310206/construction-south-africas-first-plastic-road-begun/
