BLOEMFONTEIN – Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae has marked resealing and fog spraying road projects – to the tune of R1,4 billion – for completion for the 2025-’26 financial year. She announced on Friday 20 February, during her second State of the Province Address (Sopa) in Bloemfontein.
She said funds would be used to complete existing projects this financial year.
The projects are for the following locations:
■ Kroonstad – Bothaville;
■ Dealesville – Bloemfontein;
■ Jagersfontein – Bloemfontein;
■ Hoopstad – Bultfontein;
■ Zastron – Wepener; and
■ Sasolburg – Deneysville.
“Focus will be on rural roads, small towns connectivity, and pothole eradication to drive agricultural growth, enable trade, eradicate poverty, and facilitate access to essential services,” said Letsoha-Mathae.
In addition, she said ten new road construction and maintenance projects would be procured towards the end of the 2026-’27 financial year. Delivering her first Sopa on 21 February last year, Letsoha-Mathae announced that R1.9 billion had been invested in the construction, upgrading and maintenance of road infrastructure. Additionally she said the provincial government had made available R993 million for special road maintenance to address rapid road deterioration caused by increased freight transport – and stressed “We are inspiring confidence to bolster growth and development.”
Roy Jankielsohn, DA Free State leader, reacted with dismay on behalf of the opposition party to the premier’s announcement on an additional R1,4 billion towards road improvement projects. He blamed inability to plan properly to achieve targets.
“These projects were already budgeted for. Allocating additional funds without clearly explaining failures in planning, project management, and oversight raises serious concerns about waste and poor governance,” he said.
Jankielsohn emphasised that good road infrastructure was vital for the province to prosper.
“Deteriorating provincial and municipal roads are a key reason why the province continues to struggle to attract investors. Without reliable transport infrastructure, economic growth remains constrained, logistics costs rise, and job opportunities are lost.”
The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) announced last year an injection of more than R500 million towards road construction and maintenance in the Free State’s Xhariep region. This is in addition to other roads in the province.
The findings revealed that about 70% of the province’s roads have been declared to be in a terrible state. Farmers lament that they do not profit, as they struggle to transport their produce to the market due to the appalling state of the roads. They lament that the neglect of provincial road infrastructure negatively impacts the economy.
*Also read https://novanews.co.za/the-free-state-is-being-engulfed-by-collapsing-road-infrastructure/
