A newly appointed contractor will be on site within the next two weeks to complete the delayed N1 Eastern bypass project.
Communications and Marketing Manager of Polokwane Municipality, Matshidiso Mothapo confirmed that Executive Mayor Thembi Nkadimeng was briefed about the project in a meeting with the South African National Roads Agency (SOC) Ltd (Sanral) on Monday. “The contractor, Edwin Construction who is tasked to complete the project was introduced to the municipality, the Department of Public Works and the Department of Transport. The project is expected to be completed in 14 months and the contractor should be on site in two weeks’ time,” Mothapo added.
Mothapo said Nkadimeng was pleased by the development as the road will bring with it new developments in the area.
In a statement released by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) last Friday, the party said that they give Sanral and Roads Agency Limpopo (Ral) seven days to start working on the road. “It has come to our attention that nothing was happening on that road. We demand that the work must start or they will face consequences and no one must blame the EFF,” the statement reads.
At time of going to press, input from Sanral was awaited and it could not be established what the adjusted budget of the project will now be, however, the original budget amount was R640 million when the project started.
Story: BARRY VILJOEN
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