Motorists are once again questioning the future of the R545 roadworks between Bethal and Kriel after halted construction left unfinished sections, deteriorating road surfaces and potential safety hazards.

A Ridge Times reader alerted the newspaper after noticing that no construction workers or earthmoving equipment were on site, raising concerns that the project had once again ground to a halt.

A visit to the site on June 30 found only caution barriers warning motorists of deep excavations and road closures.

A large excavation, about one metre deep in the Kriel-to-Bethal lane, had been cordoned off with caution barriers and safety netting.

Further along the road, over a stretch of about 50m, sections of the newly resurfaced tar had already started lifting, exposing the gravel beneath.

The Ridge Times reported in January that construction, which began in September last year, had come to a standstill, leaving heavy vehicles and buses stranded in deep mud following persistent rainfall.

In May, the newspaper reported concerns over the deteriorating condition of the road after sections of the new tar began lifting. Parts of the newly resurfaced road had reverted to gravel.

In response to media enquiries in January and May, Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport spokesperson Bongani Dhlamini attributed the delays to inclement weather, heavy rainfall, changes to the project’s scope and the builders’ holiday period.

Dhlamini said in January that underground water had entered the road structure because of blockages in the stormwater pipe system.

“The blocked stormwater infrastructure limited the effective discharge of runoff, causing water to accumulate within and adjacent to the roadway.

ALSO CHECK: R545 between Bethal and Kriel is in horrendous state

“Prolonged ponding and moisture infiltration allowed water to penetrate the pavement layers, resulting in saturation and weakening of the underlying materials.”

Dhlamini confirmed that outstanding drainage works still had to be completed. The department previously said the project, undertaken by Molatebo Construction, was valued at more than R8 million.

The Ridge Times made several attempts via email to obtain comment from Molatebo Construction but had received no response at the time of publication.

When contacted telephonically, a representative of Molatebo Construction referred the newspaper to the project consultant and declined to comment.

The Ridge Times also sent questions to Dhlamini on July 1 and again on July 9, asking whether the contractor had abandoned the site, what work remained outstanding, how much of the contract value had been paid, whether the completed work met departmental standards, when construction would resume, when Molatebo Construction had been appointed to the project, and what the revised completion date would be.

Photographs showing the current condition of the road and the apparent absence of construction activity were also submitted.

“They just disappeared. The construction work was not done right. A new contractor will have to come in here and start from scratch,” said local farmer John Fleet last week.

Drawing on his experience in the road construction industry, Fleet said the road needed to be raised to resolve its drainage problems.

“Re-tarring will not help if the foundation is not right. The worst thing is that they have left the road like this, unattended. You cannot leave it like this. It’s dangerous,” said Fleet.

Fleet said at the time that he was particularly concerned that motorists unfamiliar with the road, especially those travelling at high speed, might not see the barriers in time and could collide with them.

Fleet informed the Ridge Times on Monday that the hole had suddenly been filled in and the barricades removed.

“They have also began to repair the areas where the tar is lifting up,” said Fleet.