Hoedspruit road petition prompts safety plan
Residents’ petition on road safety leads to action, with MDM and MLM pledging better law enforcement and road upgrades.
LIMPOPO – Following a petition by Hoedspruit residents on law enforcement and the loss of lives in fatal accidents on the R40 and R527 roads, Mopani District Municipality (MDM) and Maruleng Local Municipality (MLM) have undertaken to work towards solutions.
The petition was initiated by community stakeholders and handed to the MDM traffic head, Samuel Machete.
The Hoedspruit Chamber/Sakekamer, on behalf of the stakeholders, released a statement saying Machete reached out and set up a meeting with MLM and Limpopo Traffic Department officials on March 31.
It stated that Machete has put their minds at ease and has committed to more visible policing on the R40.
“Traffic departments will identify critical days where policing will be improved, for example, pay days. MLM and Limpopo Traffic Department situated in Hoedspruit will work closer together, and routes covered will not be restricted to the R40 but will include the R527 to The Oaks.”
Meanwhile, Luyanda Sithole of Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) told the Herald that even though they are currently doing maintenance work on the R527, full maintenance and repairs is in their longer-term plans, depending on the availability of Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant (PRMG) funds, which are allocated to priority roads in the region.
“Rest assured, road R527 (P116/1) remains a priority for future work once the required funding is secured,” Sithole told the Herald. “However, due to financial constraints, particularly within the current fiscal cycle, we are unable to address all maintenance requests across the province immediately,” she said.
On the current maintenance work on the R527, she said RAL is committed to keeping the community informed and will continue to provide regular updates on any developments regarding the road’s maintenance.
“We truly value the input and concerns of the community, and we are working diligently to address all road maintenance needs as resources permit. Furthermore, please note that both RAL and Sanr are working closely towards designing a better intersection,” she concluded.
