R100m budgeted to fix Limpopo roads

A R100 million budget has been set aside to purchase tipper trucks and graders to fix roads in Limpopo, with a special focus on rural villages, according to the provincial department of public works and infrastructure.

MEC Tonny Rachoene said yesterday the budget was assigned after they had assessed the state of rural roads, which were in an “appalling conditions”.

He said in most cases locals struggled to move from one village to another on rainy days.

“We are going to make sure our streets and roads are in good condition,” said Rachoene.

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He said his department had so far procured 15 graders and 11 tipper trucks. The MEC added an audit on available machinery in the districts was underway.

“We have set aside R100 million for the procurement of these working tools and related machinery in the 2024-25 financial year,” he said.

“We will continue to make another financial injection for the procurement of more fleet in every district.”

The department was recently criticised for overcommitting the budget for the construction of roads, many of which were abandoned by contractors and left to become “white elephants”.

Rachoene admitted that Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) had overcommitted unfunded projects by more than R1 billion.

The RAL board was subsequently dissolved, but the decision was challenged by board members and the matter is still in courts.

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