R71 road safety threatened by stagnant water and drainage issues
Livelihoods were at risk due to flooding on parts of the road, prompting urgent inspections by experts and government leaders to address road safety concerns.
POLOKWANE – Illegal access roads and a blocked drainage system “blocked by the community” are reasons for the stagnant water seen during heavy or prolonged rainfalls along the key R71 road, on the East of Polokwane.
This is according to the South African Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), last week in response to questions about the idling water on the provincial road, placed under its competency posed by Polokwane Observer.
Read more: WATCH: Limpopo premier visits R71 road collapse site
Livelihoods were on the line due to lagoons and ponds on parts of that road this month following consistent pouring, that also drove urgent need for inspection from experts and leaders in government, to fulfill a road safety mandate.
This was not a new phenomenon and has gone on for several years.
Polokwane municipality cautioned safety along all roads during that inclement weather condition and made special mention of this road among other key ones, with traffic officers having diverted vehicles to a single lane at peak hours, to avoid direct access to the high water.
Elsewhere on this route towards Tzaneen, Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba, Road and Infrastructure MEC Tony Rachoene and other technicians identified a possible sinkhole, that posed further road safety threats, though no major accidents had been reported during that period in this major route connecting areas like Mankweng and Tzaneen to Limpopo’s capital city and beyond.
Users of the road expressed that the stagnant water also posed a risk damage to their vehicles, slowed traffic flow, impacting the flow of production and the economy, thus, requiring an urgent stop even for future rainfall.
Ramathuba said a provincial executive committee would commence shortly after in preparation to assess the totality of rain damage across all districts.
“This would also give the committee an opportunity to do reports for the National Government to declare the recent rains a disaster,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Sanral expressed eagerness to address the problem from its root cause through monitoring and engagement, the agency told Polokwane Observer that the issue was more a result of human action in the long run, through stormwater blockages and the use of illegal access roads.
“To address these concerns, Sanral conducted an inspection last year and has been monitoring the situation closely,” its media liaison manager Lwando Mahlasela has said.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to improving safety and maintaining infrastructure, more site inspections and community engagements will be conducted once the local stakeholders have been engaged further,” Mahlasela added.
The agency also reiterated it commitment to ensure the safety of road users and surrounding communities through the provision of proper roads.
