The Democratic Alliance (DA) in JB Marks Local Municipality has been inundated with complaints from residents regarding the abandoned construction on the R53 Ventersdorp road.
The DA will through its Provincial Spokesperson on Transport, Freddy Sonakile, write to the MEC for Transport, Sello Lehari, requesting him to clarify when construction for the R53 road will be completed. The MEC must also give a breakdown of the money spent on the project to date.
There has been no work on the road for more than a month and there is no indication when the project will resume or be completed.
The road construction which stretches from the Varsity Lodge up to Eleazer road has been abandoned, the contractor left their working equipment laying all over the road. See photos here, here, here, here and here.
The DA tried to call SANRAL and the offices responsible for the provincial roads, but no answer was given as to what is causing the delay in finishing the road.
In the meantime, residents who don’t have an alternative road they can use are forced to drive on an unfinished road.
Residents and road users are complaining about the damage this road is doing to their vehicles.
Although this road falls under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Government, residents must endure the same trouble that is currently ongoing with the Ikageng, Promosa and Mohadin road which falls under the local municipality. The level of incompetence in managing contractors and the work they do seems to be present in both the local and Provincial Government.
Should the MEC fail to give a response the DA will raise the issue with the Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, of the failure of the North West Provincial Government to construct and maintain critical road infrastructure in the North West Province.