Locals fed up with bad roads

STEELPOORT – For the past three years the Steelburger/Lydenburg News received numerous complaints about the road from R555 to Eerstegeluk.Locals think it is arguably the worse road in the province.“We are fed up with this road. For years we complained to the local municipality and the provincial government, but nothing has been done.”Residents told the newspaper they preferred the gravel road over the current ‘tarred’ one.“There is not even tar on the road. The authorities might just as well remove everything and leave it a gravel road. We fix our car’s suspension, tyres and shock absorbers every month,” motorists complained.Taxi driver, Mr Paul Khoza said, “It is disappointing because our leaders always brag of how the government cares about its people, but what about our roads?”

“Our roads are bad and it’s a nightmare to live in the Longtom area. Taxi drivers sometimes refuse to drive on this road. We have to walk long distances to the R555 to catch a taxi,” a taxi commuter vented.Locals added their area was now a high accident zone. “The potholes are a danger. Motorists have to swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid it.”Ironically, the Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) mayor, Cllr Ralepane Mamekoa utilizes the damaged road daily to commute to work.“We wonder how he feels when driving on this road, I bet he feels comfortable, because he would have ensured that it’s fixed. Maybe the big cars he uses are comfortable,” they said.Spokesman for GTM, Mr Thabiso Mokoena said, “That is a provincial road, its not our duty to revamp it. We only service the inner roads in our communities.”The paper contacted Road Agency Limpopo (RAL) and also sent questions via email, but at the time of going to print they had not yet responded.