Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English Freddy Sonakile
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West calls on the provincial Department of Public Works and Roads (DPWR) to urgently account for the mounting contingent liabilities it faces as a direct result of its failure to maintain the province’s road infrastructure.
The recent court-ordered R26.6 million payout to a professional nurse, left permanently disabled after her vehicle overturned due to an unrepaired pothole, is not just a tragic case of individual suffering; it is a stark warning of the financial disaster brewing in the Department’s books.
This single claim, now consuming a significant portion of the Department’s budget, highlights a broader systemic failure: the ongoing neglect of road maintenance is not only endangering lives but also exposing the Department and ultimately taxpayers to potentially hundreds of millions of rands in legal claims.
The DA is deeply alarmed by the Department’s silence on the matter and the reported delay in payment, only triggered after court-ordered asset seizure proceedings were initiated to avert the public auction of government property.
If one claim costs R26.6 million, what then is the financial implication of all road-related claims currently sitting on the Department’s legal roll? How will these be absorbed within the existing budget without severely compromising service delivery in other areas?
The DA therefore demands that the Department immediately:
- Verify the payment of R26.6 million and provide evidence of it;
- Disclose the full list and value of pending and potential legal claims due to road-related damages;
- Clarify how such claims will be financed within the current budget framework; and
- Table a costed, time-bound provincial road maintenance plan to prevent further tragedies and reduce legal exposure.
Every unrepaired pothole is not only a physical hazard; it is a legal and financial time bomb. The North West government’s failure to act proactively on road maintenance is steadily eroding public funds through avoidable litigation, undermining the Department’s ability to deliver essential services.
The DA will continue to pursue this matter in the Legislature to ensure full transparency and accountability. Public infrastructure neglect must no longer go unchallenged, neither in our courts nor in our communities.