IGNITING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THROUGH TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

The 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.

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.

MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxotiwe recently inspected work currently underway on DR08563 between Indwe and Machubeni. The 6km interlocking block paving project has created no less than 40 jobs and on completion it will service four wards with approximately 15 thousand community members.

“improved road infrastructure provide access to social services such as health and education. Roads are also crucial to enable growth in the tourism and agricultural sector which are key sectors of development for the province,” said Tikana-Gxotiwe.

To offset the limited financial resources, the department has started processes of rebuilding its in-house capacity to maintain roads as it procured various plant items to increase the performance of its inhouse construction and maintenance teams. Several other projects have been outsourced to reputable contractors for implementation.

Some of the outsourced projects currently underway include the upgrade from gravel to surface standard of T125 in Siphethu to the N2. The 14km project is estimated to cost government just over R296 million.

Work is moving with great speed with the construction of Phase 2 of the Willowvale to Dwesa road which ends at Msengeni Junction. The project valued at R280, 4 million includes the upgrade from gravel to surface and construction of two bridges. Apart from increasing mobility of communities in the area, this road will improve access to the one of the provinces tourism attraction, the Dwesa Nature Reserve.

The R205 million Hluleka Nature Reserve road project is also gaining momentum with work completed sitting at over 50%, while in the Joe Gqabi District Municipality, the department is constructing a 12km leading to Mlamli Hospital with an investment of R225 million.

Meanwhile, the in-house construction team is implementing six projects which include, Canzibe Hospital Road, Cofimvaba to Askeaton, R72 to Hamburg, Coffee Bay to Zithulele Hospital and Madwaleni Hospital Road.

In addition to these, the team is implementing two interlocking block paving projects, 6km of DR08131 in Qumbu as well as T167 (Shawburry Road).

The province received a much needed boost to its resources with an allocation of R86, 1 million from the Presidential Stimulus Package, enabling the implementation of three additional project, 6km interlocking block paving project on D08563 at Macubeni in Cacadu; 8km interlocking block paving project in Healdtown, Fort Beaufort and upgrading of the road to Tsolwana Nature Reserve. The labour intensive projects have created hundreds of jobs for the unskilled local labours.

Further to this, the connecting rural communities has since the 2019/20 financial year received a major boost as the department partnered with the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure as well as the South African National Defence Force for the construction of nine (9) bailey bridges. The completed structures have been handed over to communities in various municipalities and these include Nyosana in Port St Johns, T70 in Matatiele, Zazulwana in Mnquma, Tora and Nkobongo in Engcobo, Bilatye in Intsika Yethu, Fini in Emalahleni, Jozana and Ndofela in Senqu.

Over the years, the provincial government also approved the handing over of some of the provinces strategic provincial roads to the country’s road agency, Sanral resulting to major economic injection over time for road infrastructure.

The multi-billion rands N2 Wild Coast Project which includes the building of two massive bridges at Msikaba in In addition to this some of the notable projects being implemented by Sanral include improvements of the N2 from Green River to Buffalo River in the Buffalo City Metro, R63 from Fort Beaufort to Alice, R61 from Baziya to Mthatha Airport. Recently, Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane introduced to the community a contractor appointed for the construction of the N2 Breidbach and Belstone Interchange.

Lusikisiki and Mtentu in Bizana is by far one of the biggest government investment in the Eastern Cape.

MEC Tikana-Gxotiwe commended the work done by Sanral saying that the investment continues to improve the quality of life for the people of the Eastern Cape.

The MEC stressed that while tremendous work has been done over the years, a still needs to be done to change the face of transport infrastructure in the province. She says that the current economic climate may force the department to place much more attention on the maintenance of existing infrastructure instead of building new ones.

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