The municipality’s dilapidated road network was under the spotlight at the final full Endumeni Council meeting of the year.

DA Ward Councillor, Anthon Raubenheimer presented a petition with over 500 signatures from residents urging the municipality to urgently attend to the rutted roads, pavements and damaged and/or non-existent street signs.

“I have been inundated with complaints from residents and business owners in the Avon Industrial Area and in Glencoe. The Technical Services Department only receives three per cent of their budget to carry out such infrastructural maintenance, while this should be at least eight per cent in order to just keep up with demand.”

Mayor, Sduduzo Mdluli chuckled and said it was ‘not often that the DA and ANC agreed’ and said the roads ‘indeed need urgent attention.’ He added many of the roads were older than 45 years and were past their ‘expiry date’.

ANC Councillor, Hope Xaba, commented the DA should have brought the matter up when it was part of the coalition Government, but too agreed the roads were in a poor state.

Cllr Raubenheimer said the tarring of MacPhail Road in Craigieburn about three years ago had ballooned from a budgeted R16-million to R28-million. Speaker, Lucky Khumalo agreed, adding that the project was ‘ironically thrust upon residents’ who had not even requested the road be tarred, as they preferred their ‘country lifestyle’.

The project was also mentioned as part of a continuing Special Investigation Unit probe at Endumeni. Cllr Mdluli said a Rapid Response Team, under Speaker Khumalo’s direction, would be dispatched to attend to roads needing special attention.

ALSO READ: Motorists lose traction on muddy Marikana roads

HAVE YOUR SAY:
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at dundee.courier@caxton.co.za.  Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394.