R200 million upgrade for Betania road
Over 110 jobs are expected to be created with local contractors also benefitting from the construction project.
The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety, and Liaison, Sipho Hlomuka recently handed over a contractor to the community of Betania who will construct the D1014 which serves as a link to the N2.
For a long time, residents between Betania and Bhobhoyi have been raising concerns over the condition of D1014.
Hlomuka said the D1014 is a combination of gravel road and surfaced road sections linking the N2 national route with the provincial road P55.
He said the road is currently blacktop surfaced from km 0,0 to km 2,35 and then gravel until km 7,57 and thereafter it is blacktop surfaced to end chainage at provincial road P55.
He added that R201 million has been set aside for the upgrade, saying that over 110 jobs are expected to be created with local contractors also benefitting from the construction project.
“The upgrade of D1014 will seek to address the historical imbalances that have seen rural communities having a lack of road infrastructure. The upgrading of this road will also see the extensive development of the Bhobhoyi corridor through the provision of better road infrastructure as D1014 serves as a direct link to the N2,” said Hlomuka.
He added: “We have also requested that 10 young people who passed at least Grade 12 be employed during this project, we do not want these young people to come from one ward. The intention is to educate and train these young people on how to rehabilitate roads. Although the theory will not be the same as at universities, we want these young people to learn something about the upgrading of roads and they will be given some sort of certificate after the training.”
The D1014 road is located under the KwaNdwalane Tribal Authority.
Inkosi Sazi Ndwalane said he was relieved that the D1014 is finally being attended to.
“What is nice is that we have spoken to the contractor and he assured us that he is going to do everything by the book. I will be checking on progress every now and again because it is important for people to be accountable for the projects they do. We have someone trained in the KwaNdwalane Traditional Authority who supervises the quality of the projects being done in this area. This is so that we will not be misled by contractors. This person provides assistance to contractors whether it is in getting quotes or good quality materials,” he said.
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