EC TRANSPORT AND COMMUNITY SAFETY
IGNITING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THROUGH TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
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he Eastern Cape is one of the biggest provinces by land size and has for many years suffered a huge under investment on its transport systems and infrastructure contributing to a generally stagnant economy. The current transport infrastructure backlog for both paved and unpaved roads is currently estimated at R64 billion, a fact which Transport and Community Safety MEC, Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe says requires urgent attention with a focus on speeding up implementation of funded projects while mobilising resources for additional needs.
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Municipal Focus
The department has committed to use its R2.3 billion budget allocation for the 2021/22 to drastically improve roads especially those leading to tourism centers, social and economic infrastructure. This work will be implemented using a combination of interventions, that is, upgrade of gravel road to surface standard (tar), reseal of existing surface roads, introducing interlocking-block paving and re-gravelling as well as blading of its gravel road network. MEC Tikana-Gxothiwe recognises that infrastructure development is critical for in creating jobs as well as growing the economy.
