MEC commits to accelerate road construction projects
The K69 road is being upgraded into a dual carriageway but construction has been delayed due to encroachments on the road reserve and community protests.
Gauteng MEC for transport and logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has vowed to intervene to fast-track the completion of provincial road construction projects that have been delayed.
The MEC went on a fact-finding oversight visit to various road construction sites on Monday morning to assess construction progress as well as get first-hand information on issues hampering the completion of the projects.
The projects included K69 (Solomon Mahlangu Road) and K54 (Tsamaya Road), both in Mamelodi.
MEC Diale-Tlabela said that the department could no longer allow further delays in the delivery of road infrastructure as this has a huge bearing on the movement of goods and people.
She said Gauteng is one of the major contributors to the country’s economic growth and her department plays a major role in ensuring ease of mobility in the province, which is at the core of efforts for economic recovery.
“While we continue to invest in construction and upgrades of our provincial roads’ infrastructure, especially in our townships, project abandonment, delays and disruptions remain thorny issues for us,” she said.
She said they would like to assure the people of Gauteng that these projects are receiving her attention and intervention.
The K69 road construction project, which is being upgraded into a dual carriageway, has been delayed due to encroachments on the road reserve and community protests.
The K54 road project involves the upgrading and doubling of the existing single carriageway to increase capacity, safety and accessibility for existing and future developments along the Solomon Mahlangu Road.
The project started in 2018 and was expected to be completed by April 2022, however, due to encroachment of the road reserve, the contractor could not access certain portion of the road for construction work.
MEC Diale-Tlabela said that the department is committed to delivering quality road infrastructure in support of the province’s elevated priorities.
“Ours is a people-centred economic recovery focused on improving road infrastructure to facilitate a smart and convenient movement of people and goods in the province,” she added.
“Project stoppages have a negative impact on our economic growth and result in untold inconveniences to road users.
“We will continue with our interventions to ensure that road construction projects are delivered without further delays, at the right quality and within budget.”
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