Limpopo MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure Nkakareng Rakgoale says the department and its entity, Roads Agency Limpopo, are determined to ensure that the existing roads infrastructure in the province is maintained and user friendly.
She was speaking at Hoedspruit in the Maruleng Municipality, where she was handing over the newly rehabilitated D1909 road, which links the R40 and the Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit.
Road D1909 Preventative Maintenance Project is a vital initiative aimed at enhancing the road infrastructure within the Maruleng Local Municipality in the Mopani District. Phase one of the preventative maintenance, which is six kilometres long, has been completed, and it has achieved a significant milestone in its objective to provide an efficient and reliable road network in the area.
The MEC also conducted a sod-turning ceremony for phase two of the project, which is a 17-kilometre stretch of the road, which will further bring improvements to the crucial transportation corridor that provides easy access to, amongst others, the Eastgate Airport that is essential for the tourism and agricultural economy of the Hoedspruit area.
MEC Rakgoale says the department is determined and working tirelessly to service the motoring public and general members of the public.
“I am delighted that we have managed to improve the condition of the road here. As you can see, it carries large volumes of traffic to and from the airport. This is indeed a strategic economic route which services, among others, farming and tourism communities in this area.
The department is hard at work servicing our communities, and we have demonstrated today that we are indeed determined to provide improved roads infrastructure in the province”, says MEC Rakgoale.
Meanwhile, some of the communities utilising the road say they appreciate the upgrade.
“I am a farmer in Hoedspruit, and I want to thank the authorities for having touched our lives in terms of upgrading this road. We are one community now, and things are coming together, and there is hope. We would like to thank everyone for the efforts that they have made. The road was indeed in a terrible state, and hopefully, with these improvements, more business will come our way, and we will be able to create jobs.”
Roads Agency Limpopo is expected to complete the second phase of the project by February 2024.
The MEC was accompanied by the Maruleng Municipality Mayor, Cllr Tsheko Musolwa and Councillors from both the local municipality and the Mopani District Municipality.