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SA faces roads maintenance backlog of R38-billion

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA Oct 19 2009 15:32

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South Africa faces a roads maintenance backlog of R38,3-billion, it emerged on Monday.

Responding to a parliamentary question by Democratic Alliance MP Stuart Farrow, Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele said the country was facing an R18,4-billion backlog with regards to the upkeep of the core national road network.

In the provinces, there was a further R19,9-billion backlog, bringing the total to R38,3-billion.

Farrow said Ndebele "was unable to say whether or not the backlog can be addressed, only that this is the current situation and whether or not it will be overcome is dependent on sufficient funds being made available by the Treasury".

"As with the country's electricity, water and railways infrastructure, the current situation with regards to our roads is a consequence of years of neglect, poor planning and a lack of foresight.

"As a consequence we now sit with a situation whereby the backlogs are so big, that it is next to impossible to ever eradicate them," he said.

The government would be forced to borrow money. The result of that would not only be that repayment on interest furthered the cost, but roads would have to be transformed into toll roads to help recover monies spent, and the public would have to pay.

Should that not happen, many roads would fall into disrepair, beyond even rehabilitation and, ultimately the road network would shrink.

"The consequences of this for our economy are profound."

CONTINUES BELOW

On the one hand, ever increasing amounts of the budget would have to be set aside to maintain the ever smaller distance of roads managed by the national administration.

On the other hand, crumbling roads meant public transport and the transport of goods were affected.

The DA would raise the issue before the portfolio committee on transport, when its annual report was discussed, Farrow said.

In his reply, Ndebele said the backlog that existed was with regard to the strengthening of the network. -- Sapa

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Comments

stop playing golfs everyday and drink red wines while roads are death trap.our raods are in a mess travelling in Zeerust in North West and Verena in Mpumalanga is scary.potholes are 1 meter deep down to swallow a coffin.In Limpopo the MEC has frozen the projects to maintain roads as the contractor is not in bed with ruling party.

PHINEAS MALAKA on October 19, 2009, 7:53 pm

all this since 1994....say no more, what did Zim have before candles....electricity!....and before Mugabe......Smith!

Paolo Tricanico on October 19, 2009, 11:00 pm

How about outsourcing things like Periodic Vehicle Testing which can create 40 000 jobs, give government a R200 million a year income from a shareholding, and reduce money spent as a result of crashes by at least R40 billion a year. This would pay for all road infrastructure within a short period. Just make a decision for heaven's sake!!!!

Wendy Watson on October 31, 2009, 10:51 am

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SA faces roads maintenance backlog of R38-billion

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