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The, Interstate Bus Lines (IBL) have had to use its own budget to repair roads in and around the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality which is telling of a failed state and cause for concern.

IBL has been working for years to improve the poor condition of the roads used by their buses, which provide services to residents in the municipality and specifically in Thaba ‘Nchu. Standard buses are best suited for tarred roads due to their lower suspension and rear-wheel drive. This means that the standard buses are most effective in cities. The buses have difficulty navigating Thaba ‘Nchus’ roads due to their poor condition. The unevenness of the roads makes lower suspension damage more likely, resulting in serious accidents.

Due to these challenges, IBL recently introduced 4x4 personal carriers, a truck chassis with a bus body. They are also spending roughly 80% of their budget on repairing roads. Investing in equipment such as graders, TLBs, and tipper trucks in order to make the roads suitable for the use of their buses.

The DA will submit various Rule 38 questions to the municipality;

• What projects are currently underway to improve infrastructure?
• If funds have been allocated to repair unserviceable roads?
• Are action plans being made to solve the problem?
• Who are the municipal officials responsible for the lack of maintenance?

The DA will have a meeting with the Section 80 committee chairperson, MMC for Infrastructure, Molefe Morake and request answers to the questions raised. Businesses like IBL are struggling economically due to the lack of good governance by the municipality.

Issued by Raynie Klaasen - Counsellor Mangaung East Constituency