The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport is unable to do the necessary maintenance to the province’s roads due to budget constraints.

In an oral reply to a question in the Mpumalanga provincial legislature, the MEC for public works, roads and transport Gillion Mashego said it has repaired potholes across the province as part of the Sidudula Amapotholes programme.

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“We have prioritised roads used for coal haulage and tourism, but it must be understood that pothole patching is a temporary intervention on all provincial roads, because the roads have exceeded their designed lifespan,” he said.

“Under normal circumstances the lifespan of the roads is eight years. They must be resealed after every eight years, but due budget constraints we are unable to do this,” he said.

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Meanwhile, business owners in some tourism areas such as Sabie have raised their concerns regarding the state of the roads. Tourists avoid areas where the roads are particularly bad, and that affects the regional economy.