Long-overdue Solomon Mahlangu upgrade to be completed by month end – roads department
The R330-m Solomon Mahlangu Road upgrades were supposed to be completed in 2022.
The long-overdue upgrades to the Solomon Mahlangu Road east of Pretoria have been given a new completion date following previous adjournments due to adjustments to the scope of work.
The R330-m Solomon Mahlangu road upgrade project, supposed to be completed three years ago, will now be wrapped up by the end of the month.
Gauteng roads and transport spokesperson Melitah Madiba said the project is behind schedule due to encroachments on road reserves that had to be resolved.
“However we envisage the completion date to be the end of May this year.”
She said construction commenced on June 18, 2019 and missed its August 2022 completion deadline.
“This was due to poor contractor performance, encroachment of the road reserve, community stoppages, so the completion date had to be adjusted a number of times,” she said.
The K69 road stretches almost 12km from Lynnwood to Mamelodi, linking Lynnwood Road to the K54 in Mamelodi.
The first phase of the project covered approximately 9km from the R104 (Bronkhorstspruit Road) to the K54 in Mamelodi.
The upgrade entailed the dualisation of the K69 from Lynnwood to Mamelodi, rehabilitation of the existing carriageway, as well as construction of a bridge over the Pienaars River and three new road-over-rail bridges on the new carriageway.
She said the upgrade would resolve congestion issues, particularly between the eastern suburbs of Pretoria, Mamelodi and the N4.
She added that the design integrates non-motorised traffic (NMT) movement to improve on sustainable transport and reduce the risk to NMT users the road.
“Most work has been completed. We are finalising guard rails and snag list items. This is the normal process in the finalisation of a project of this nature,” she said.
Madiba said the department is working on minimising delays through the Aga Le Rona community rapid response unit.
“With this unit we have been able to respond much quicker to challenges on the ground.
“We have had to strengthen our stakeholder management so that we are much closer with the communities.
“We have also appointed professional project managers to support us on the work.”
Madiba said the delays have affected the budget.
“Delays often affect the spending on the project, this is the case on this project.
“However this project created numerous work opportunities and support of small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in Mamelodi and surrounding townships.”
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