MNGANDUZWENI – Since 2012,
I have been travelling on the R538 on a weekly basis and my driving experience has gone from bad to worse. The road, notorious for its potholes, has deteriorated to a very poor condition despite the fact that it’s used by many tourists who visit the Kruger National Park and enters through Numbi Gate. The condition restricts the safe movement of vehicles.
Despite the complaints of many road users and community members of White River and Hazyview, the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport has done nothing to attend to the problem.
Community members have at some stage taken matters into their own hands and tried to fill the holes with sand out of frustration. A resident of Mganduzweni village,
Mr Vivian Malele, said that members of the community tried many times to fill the potholes with sand, hoping the department would realise their desperation and do something, but nothing has been done so far.
“The government doesn’t want to fix this road because it passes through villages. If it was in the suburbs, they would have fixed it by now. But when it’s time to vote, they expect us to vote for them,” she said.
It only said that it had entered into a partnership with the Palabora Mining Company Limited (PMC) to rehabilitate the 7,1km stretch of the D636 road between Yaverland and Plaston.
Twelve months later, still frustrated about the same road, I spoke to other motorists and they have all said that the condition of the road was worse.
“There is no road left here and trying to patch these potholes will be a waste of time and people’s tax money.
The government must just come up with a plan and permanently fix this,” said
Mr Banele Mkhonto.
Mkhonto, who drives from Mshadza to Nelspruit every day, said that getting to work was hectic as he has to duck potholes all the way, risking his life.
Some motorists said they have now resorted to using the alternate road (R40) to Hazyview, even though it’s 10 kilometres longer.
“I’d rather use the longer road and save my car from the damage that I will have to fix out of my own pocket. This road is actually an embarrassment because tourists use it,” said Mr Johannes Mgiba.
But those driving to Mganduzweni, Mshadza, Jerusalem and Numbi Gate, have to endure the frustration and keep on hoping for change. The department said the contract for the rehabilitation of the road between Hazyview and White River was awarded on November 18, 2013.
“This contract involves the rehabilitation of existing pavement layers using a recycling technique and it will be surfaced using an asphalt overlay. The total length is 16km. The contract value is R149,1 million and the period is 20 months, which will bring the completion of this project to September 2015,” said media liaison manager, Mr Dumisani Malamule.
He said the contractor was currently on site and would start temporary pothole repairs which would be followed by the rehabilitation process commencing early February.
