Three years after the last contractor left with 5.5km still to complete, a road project has been rejuvenated.
Despite it often being seen as the second poorest province in the country after the Eastern Cape, the Limpopo provincial government has added R107 million more to the protracted R400 million budget to complete a stalled 29 km Morobeng/ Sekgosese road project.
In 2002, then-Premier Chupu Stan Mathabatha and his entourage paraded the project to Ramaphosa and promised it would be completed in a few months.
But the project soon became a “White Elephant” when the contractor abandoned it with 5.5km before completion.
The same contractor was paid an additional R20 million retention fee long before the project was completed.
This was branded a fruitless and wasteful expenditure by the Roads Agency Limpopo [RAL]’s acting Chief Executive Officer, Makhita Chisane. Chesane confirmed the R20 million payment was being investigated by law enforcement agencies and that the net was about to close for those who made the irregular payment.
What’s changed?
During the handing over of the project to a new contractor at Sekgosese in the Greater Letaba local municipality this week, Premier Ramathuba said it includes upgrading from gravel to tar of roads D15, D3150 and D3232 stretching from Morobeng to Sekgosese [Wholesale] within the Molemole and the Greater Letaba local municipalities.
She said the total road length for the remaining scope of work is 5.5 kms, which entails the upgrading of 3.5 kms of road networks on road D3150, slurry seal of 2 km on road D3150, and construction of two bridges.
The Premier said the project will run for a period not exceeding 12 months at a cost of R107 million.
“Based on the remaining scope of work, the current contract makes provision for the employment of local labourers by the contractor during the contract period.
“A target of 5% of the contract value, excluding VAT, contract price adjustment, and contingencies, has been earmarked for local labour utilisation.
“The contract also requires the contractor to utilise the available services of Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises [SMMEs] as subcontractors and suppliers on the project. A target of 15% of the contract value, excluding VAT, contract price adjustment, and contingencies, has been earmarked for SMMEs participation,” said Ramathuba to the delight of dozens of emerging contractors and unemployed residents at the welcoming event.
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Delays
Ramathuba said it was heartbreaking that the project is resuming years after four traditional leaders who oversaw its emergence passed on.
The 52-year-old Premier also took a swipe at senior government officials and politicians who promised President Ramaphosa that the road would be complete and operational in February 2022, but it remained stagnant.
“You don’t lie to my president and get away with it. You don’t fail to deliver a promise you made to the country’s number one citizen and leave untouched.
“I have a one-on-one platform/communication with the president of this country. How then do you expect me to look into his eyes, when I know I lied to him?” she asked, adding that those who stole from the project and failed to deliver will not go unpunished.
‘They, too, will be made to face the wrath of the law,” said Ramathuba.
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Residents’ relief
The Citizen spoke to a few residents affected by the stalled project. Most shared their relief at the appointment of a new contractor.
A taxi driver, who didn’t want to give his name, described the road as hell.
“The municipality and the department have forsaken us. There has never been any regravelling since this project was abandoned three years ago.
“Commuters are also scarce because the road is terribly pumpy. During rainy seasons, the abandoned bridges turn into small rivers, and no business takes place at all because both commuters and taxi drivers are scared of being drowned,” he said.
Another resident, Peter Mohale, described Ramathuba as a woman of her word.
“She is hands-on, she is committed, and she has a passion to deliver. We have hope this project will reach its final stage of completion,” he said, smiling slyly.
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