Tag Archives: Roads

SA’s infrastructure drive is gathering pace

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Picture: RSA president, Cyril Ramaphosa

By REGINALD KANYANE

17 February 2025- To achieve the levels of growth, the country needs to create enough jobs for its people, said the Republic of South Africa (RSA) president, Cyril Ramaphosa in his weekly letter. Ramaphosa said they need far more construction and more reliable and consistent infrastructure maintenance.

He further said that is why infrastructure development is a strategic priority for the government. Ramaphosa added that airports, roads, railways, public transit systems, water, energy and telecoms infrastructure all play a vital role in driving economic growth.

“Infrastructure development has a multiplier effect, driving productivity and job creation and improving the delivery of basic services. For many years, capital investment by both the public and private sectors was in decline.

“This was due, among other things, to a difficult economic environment, the diversion of resources through state capture, bureaucratic obstacles and low investor confidence,” he said.

Ramaphosa said following various reforms and initiatives, the infrastructure drive is gathering pace. He said a recent report by Nedbank, found that the total value of new projects announced by both the public and private sectors last year amounted to R445 billion.

“This was more than double the year before and represents the largest fixed investment in infrastructure in South Africa since 2021. It is significant that more than 78% of the value of this infrastructure investment was from government and state-owned enterprises.

“According to Statistics South Africa, capital spending by state-owned enterprises and national, provincial and local governments continues to rise. The private sector is lagging behind the state on infrastructure development spend,” said Ramaphosa.

He said, however, private sector entities announced investment plans in 2024, with a total value of R95 billion. Ramaphosa said these included an R18 billion mixed-use development in Gauteng, a R4 billion investment by Volkswagen to upgrade its Kariega facility in the Eastern Cape and a new private university for the Western Cape.  

“During the State of the Nation Address (SONA) and debate, the government outlined a number of infrastructure projects underway across the country.

“These include projects in water and sanitation, human settlements, renewable energy, recreational, heritage and maritime infrastructure. They also include road rehabilitation, the refurbishing of state-owned buildings to attract investors, and upgrading health facilities,” he said.

Ramaphosa said Infrastructure SA, established under the 6th administration, leads infrastructure planning, management and delivery. He said the work of Infrastructure SA has enabled progress in the implementation of the designated Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPS) in areas such as energy, water and sanitation, student accommodation and transport.

“To date, 34 out of 50 SIPs are in the implementation stage, to the value of R281 billion. An additional pipeline of catalytic projects to the value of R21 billion will break ground this year.

“To ensure that construction projects get going faster and are finished sooner, Infrastructure SA has launched a project preparation fund worth R180 million to prepare and package infrastructure projects across government,” said Ramphosa.

He said recently revised regulations for public private partnerships will help to further unlock private sector expertise and funds for infrastructure. Ramaphosa said the challenge of the construction mafia that the industry has faced is being tackled head on by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

“Its Economic Infrastructure Task Teams are making headway in dealing with this criminality. Last year, stakeholders attending the National Construction Summit on Crime-Free Sites agreed to collaborate to address construction-site disruptions.

“Some of the measures agreed on included enhanced security measures on sites, community engagement and the development of the emerging construction sector,” he said.

Ramaphosa said construction stoppages are on the decrease since these efforts commenced. He said the construction sector is a major source of employment.

“It accounted for the largest job increases between the second and third quarters of last year. As work continues pace on structural reforms to improve the business operating environment and facilitate investment, our country’s infrastructure build programme will play an increasingly prominent role.

“We will intensify our efforts to ensure that infrastructure investment by both the state and business drives economic recovery, growth and job creation,” said Ramaphosa.

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Residents continue to live in squalor  

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Picture: The Boipelo Informal Settlement in Reivilo/Supplied 

By OBAKENG MAJE 

3 February 2025- The aggrieved residents of Boipelo Informal Settlement in Reivilo said they continue to live in squalor without basic needs such as electricity, roads, accessible clean and drinkable, including sanitation. The residents blame the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) for failing to provide real solutions to rescue them. 

One of the community leaders, Piet van Neck said, to rub salts into their wounds, the municipality is relocating them. Van Neck said they have occupied the land for some years, but they are continuing to be harassed by the government. 

“The municipality has failed us dismally and could not provide us with real solutions to our basic needs. No solution to improve our well-being. We are faced with constant challenges regarding service delivery. 

“The municipality has given us pipe dreams a few years ago, instead of delivering on their promises, they opt to remove us. They alleged that we have occupied private land and they want to relocate us,” he said. 

According to van Neck, slow service delivery infuriates them.    

Meanwhile, the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) spokesperson, Ricky Oliphant said: “Yes, the municipality is very much aware of the dire situation in Boipelo Informal Settlement, hence we have established a formally proclaimed township to relocate them. The informal site is privately owned and within a flood line. 

“The municipality had a couple of community meetings before relocating them to go through the relocation plan and hear their queries and concerns. The Water and Sanitation Unit is aware of the water challenges at the area and a short-term measure has been put in place.”

Oliphant further said the Town Planning Unit under Department of Spatial Planning and Human Settlement has established a formally proclaimed township at Boipelo, where Department of Infrastructure Development and Engineering Services are busy with blading of access roads to ensure accessible roads. He added that, last year, the Water and Sanitation Unit provided the area with a 1000L Jojo Tank and installed 4x stand water pipes. 

“The residents have access to water within less than 200m radius. Yes, the residents occupied the land properly and some of them are already on the site. The Human Settlement unit provided a beneficiary list of occupants who will be relocating to the new settlement. 

“The unit is finalising the relocation process of other residents on the site. There is a challenge of having residents who are already on the site, but they do not qualify according to the list of the beneficiaries,” said Oliphant.

He said the residents that do not qualify and those encroached on the privately-owned property, will be moved into the identified alternative land in Boipelo Township, which is municipality owned. Oliphant added that a layout plan has already been drafted. 

“Due to the dolomitic nature of Reivilo, studies need to be conducted on the site to determine the suitability of land for human settlement,” he said. 

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Mokgosi: “Ditsobotla is faced with serious challenges”

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Picture: The embattled Ditsobotla Local Municipality offices

By OBAKENG MAJE

22 January 2025- The North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi said they had a consultative engagement with the municipal council of embattled Ditsobotla Local Municipality in Lichtenburg, to deliberate on the state of the municipality.

Mokgosi said the engagement presented to the municipality with urgent deliverables pertaining the need to bring solutions to the lack of operating services such as financial recovery plan, provision of water and sanitation, roads, electricity and management of the bulk accounts.

He further said the municipality is still not functioning as expected and cannot meet its statutory obligations of providing community services even though they have deployed skilled individuals. Mokgosi added that it is clear that Ditsobotla is a municipality that is faced with serious challenges.

“Last week, they made headlines after changing the mayor and the municipal speaker. But, we felt that with all that administrative and political challenges, at the centre of everything is our own people, our community members.

“We convened a meeting last week, where we discussed various issues as a government. In the presence of our meeting, we had officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation, including the Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, based on the challenges for service that are here,” he said.

Mokgosi said in their discussion, they agreed that there is a need to engage the municipality so that they are in agreement in terms of how they are going to intervene. He said they have intervened with Section 154 in the Constitution and different subsections of Section 139, but to the large extent, they are of the view that they are not yielding any results.

“We have now decided to come here with the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs, Oageng Molapisi, to engage the municipal council and say, let’s agree on how we are going to intervene.

“Over and above, we were looking at the provision of electricity. For example, the municipality does not have the financial capacity and necessary skills to handle the provision of electricity,” said Mokgosi.

He said even though the municipality is the licence holder to provide electricity to various communities, they have proposed that Eskom takes over. Mokgosi said the municipality does not have the capacity to invest in operations and maintenance of the electricity, hence every time when there are electricity challenges, it is unable to cope.

“So, we said one of the options is that Eskom should take total operation of the electricity here so that we set aside what the municipality seems to have as a challenge.

“So, is a conversation that we have to come here for because by law, that is the prerogative of the municipality and we cannot just come here and take over that function,” he said.

Mokgosi said they are in agreement and the municipality has expressed its view. He said they will go back and explain the proposal further in detail.

“If we have exhausted all options without a solution, we will be left with no choice, but to apply the law. The environment here is toxic and there is no cooperation. We have deployed people here and they are not given a necessary space to do their work,” said Mokgosi.

The Director from Centre for Good Governance and Social Justice, Boyce Mpempe said: “Stealing from the poor and self-enrichment is a challenge, hence the current situation at Ditsobotla. Those who are elected do not care about the poor of the poorest, but their own needs.

“That has brought divisions amongst themselves and they have lost principles and ethics in the process. You will see councillors interfering in administration issues and having interests in awarding of tenders.”

Meanwhile, the municipality was reconstituted in January 2023, following a by-election in December 2022, occasioned by the dissolution of the municipality due to persistent political and administrative instability.

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Portfolio Committee concerned after a Grade R learner pushed out of ‘unroadworthy’ scholar transport bus in Vryburg  

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Picture: The bus that a learner allegedly pushed out of it/Supplied

By OBAKENG MAJE

The Chairperson of the North West Provincial Legislature’s Public Works, Roads, Community Safety and Transport Management, Mmoloki Cwaile said they have requested the North West Department of Community of Safety and Transport Management to thoroughly investigate the incident, where a Grade R learner from Moeti Primary School in Huhudi Township, near Vryburg, was pushed out of the moving scholar transport bus.

It is alleged that, the learner, Lethabo Goralotse (5) was allegedly pushed out of a moving scholar transport bus by other learners. The incident allegedly took place on Friday morning between Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital and Morning Star Private School at around 6:30am.

Cwaile said, Lethabo was allegedly pushed into the bus and balanced with her hands on the emergency exit window, which was reported to be loose at the time. He further said, that allegedly resulted in her being thrown out of a moving bus.

“The driver could not be alerted immediately and the injured learner was assisted by a motorist. She was transported to the Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital for medical attention. As the Portfolio Committee, we have reached out to the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari and North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi, who has also made an effort to reach out to the family.

“We have also reached out to the family of the affected learner and assured the mother, Connie Goralotse that, we will react once we have received the investigation report that will determine ascertain us that the bus was in good condition and roadworthy, including how the accident happened,” he said.

Cwaile added that, they will have an interaction with the North West Community Safety and Transport Management to seek redress. He said they have also been informed that, the injured learner was assessed only for five hours at the hospital then her family transferred her to a private hospital because they were not happy with the service they received.

“It is alleged that, no clinical observations and investigations were conducted to exclude the possible head injuries. However, we will continue to engage with the family and monitor the kind of support that is provided to them. We will continue to hold the department accountable.

“So, we condemn with the strongest possible term the usage of unroadworthy buses as scholar transport and the collapse of the thorough inspection that must exclude the risks that are associated with scholar transport. However, we are confident that we will drill this matter to the bottom of it and take it to the logical conclusion,” said Cwaile.

The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari said: “We wish the learner a speedy recovery and also assure the parents that a thorough investigation into what happened will be done. We will in the meantime, engage the family to hear their side of the story.

“The department has a team of monitors in all the districts and observance of compliance is done on an extemporaneous basis. The service level agreement (SLA) the department has with contracted operators includes a passenger liability by the operator.”

Lehari said roadworthiness inspection of vehicles is not done exclusively for learner transport, but as part of normal law enforcement operations to ensure compliance. He said it is on record that, earlier this year, many learner buses which were not roadworthy were impounded by the department.

The Director for Public Transport Service, Dr Olebogeng Baikgaki engaged the operator following Lehari’s directive for an intervention. Baikgaki said the department has already engaged the operator to arrange for the learner to be treated and be responsible for the medical bill until the child recovers fully.

“Over and above this, the operator has committed to assist with the private transportation of the learner to and from school until she has fully recovered”, said Dr Baikgaki.

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