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Residents of Gauteng are being subjected to endless potholes and bad road conditions on provincial roads like the road between Carletonville and Ventersdorp and the R559 which leads from Randfontein onto the R501, yet the Department of Roads and Transport in the province has underspent on its third quarter budget by R334 419 000,00 for the 2021/2022 financial year.

See pictures here, here, here and here

The residents who use public and private transport are suffering due to poor roads conditions as well as a spike in transport costs.

This information was revealed in the department’s third quarter report for the 2021/2022 financial year.

When our road surfaces are in a poor condition and littered with potholes motor vehicle owners are at a huge risk of damaging their vehicles and claiming for the damages from their insurance.

If motorists claim from their insurance on a regular basis, they will be flagged as high risk and therefore their premiums will increase.

The department is clearly not utilising the budget it is given to ensure that maintenance is done on an ongoing basis as there is a huge challenge with regards to storm water drainage.

Our fatality rate on the roads as well as vehicle accidents will be greatly reduced if the department puts proper plans in place to ensure that its’ full budget is spent timeously and effectively.

The state of our roads will only get worse, especially when there is heavy torrential rain in our province which can potentially cover potholes causing vehicles to be badly damaged and possibly causing an accident.

Through the mechanisms in place at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, I will be demanding answers from the MEC for Roads and Transport, Jacob Mamabolo on how exactly this department will be ensuring that its budget is utilised and that our roads are properly maintained so that our residents can have access to roads that are in tip top condition.

Issued by Evert Du Plessis MPL - DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Roads and Transport