Incompetent ANC government unable to fix disastrous Mahikeng roads

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Mahikeng is deeply concerned about the poor condition of gravel roads that residents of Mahikeng in Wards 23, 24, 25, and 26 have to endure after a heavy rain season. This is the result of an incompetent ANC-led administration that is unable to react to the needs of residents by delivering swift and quality service delivery.

Residents in these four wards find themselves unable to access services and areas of work due to the poor state of gravel roads which prevent the free movement of motorists.

These connecting roads include the following:

• The Vrede-Weltevrede gravel road that was graded just before the 2021 elections at a cost of R20 million;

• The gravel road connecting Makouspan and Nooitgedacht in Ward 25 was also graded in 2021 at a cost of R20 million;

• The gravel road connecting Mantsa, Letlhogori, and other surrounding villages was last graded in 2020.

These poorly conditioned gravel roads are preventing school busses from transporting school learners to school (see picture here). Teachers living in the affected communities also struggle to commute to schools.

The condition of the gravel roads has led to temporary school closures, denying learners their right to basic education.

The schools that are affected by this disaster include the following:

• Renalerona Secondary School in Weltevrede;

• Obakeng Primary School in Mooipan Village;

• Tshedimoso Primary School in Mooipan Village;

• Mosikare Secondary School in Mantsa Village;

• Mantsa Primary School in Mantsa Village;

• Gontse Monnapula Secondary in Siberia Village;

• R.A Kobue High School in Mooifontein Village.

These roads are a clear indication of the ANC’s failure to deliver quality services to the community. It also bares the truth of a typically corrupt government by constructing the roads just before the election and then shamelessly neglecting the maintenance of it afterwards.

The DA will submit a petition for the swift construction of the disastrous roads to the North West Provincial Legislature and the MEC of Public Works and Roads, Gaoage Molapisi MPL.

It is acceptable practise that high traffic gravel roads should be graded at least every 10 days, while medium traffic gravel roads should be graded every month and low traffic gravel roads at least once every four months and after heavy rains, something that the ANC cannot understand. It is only under a DA-led government that things will get done.