The Langeberg Municipality has endeavoured to rehabilitate and upgrade tar roads in all five towns in the region.
For years the various communities have been complaining about the state of the roads.
“Langeberg Municipality is facing a huge road infrastructure maintenance backlog from severe budget constraints,” Municipal Manager Daniël Lubbe pointed out. “This has resulted in many roads in our area to have several potholes.”
In its recently approved budget the municipality announced it was making R3 350 000 available for the upgrading and rehabilitation of tarred roads in all five towns.
“The municipality recently launched a programme for the repair of potholes and to clean stormwater channels,” Lubbe said. “The much-needed rain not only makes it difficult to fix roads, but the wet conditions also contribute to the further deterioration of the road surface. At this time of the year we temporarily repair potholes by filling them in with a stabilised mixture, to ensure the road surface remains in a driveable state as much as possible. The more permanent fixing of the potholes will be done as soon as the weather conditions are suitable.”
He also noted the project to rehabilitate the roads will run over a few years.
“Due to the high number of municipal roads that need to be restored and the lack of funds for this purpose this project will run over a few years. Road compacting equipment and concrete mixers are in the process of being purchased to assist us with maintenance projects.”
The money set out for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the roads is not just generated by the local municipality. “Municipal road expenditure is funded from a combination of the local government equitable share, municipal own-revenues,” Lubbe said. “The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) integrated grant for municipalities, Municipal Infrastructure Grant, Public Transport Infrastructure and Systems Grant are allocated to road maintenance.”
The tender process for this project is still in the public appeal process.
“All the tenders received were all over the available budget,” Lubbe explained. “This will have an impact on what can be completed within the available funding for this project. The project will comprise the upgrade of existing roads in Robertson, Ashton, Bonnievale and Montagu. It is envisaged the work will commence in July or August this year depending on the weather conditions.”
The money for this project will be allocated as follows:
Ashton
– Faure – R403 000
– George – R992 000
– Middel – R1 091 200Bonnievale
– Malherbe – R1 311 960
– Waterkant – R988 900
– Almeira – R585 900
– Lanbou – R424 080
– Milner Street – R781 200
– Voortrekker Street – R354 640
– Waterkant – R1 249 300Montagu
– Denne – R226 200
– Van Wyk – R504 600
– Visser – R295 800
– Aster – R694 400
– Bath – R406 410
– Du Toit – R1 253 020
– Eike – R745 550
– Kerk – R2 886 100
– Protea – R644 800
– Uitvlucht – R595 200
– Van Riebeeck – R1 432 200
– Wilhelm Thys – R1 711 200
Robertson
– Dirkie Uys Street – R487 200
– Adderley – R2 505 600
– Paul Kruger – R392 160
– Van Zyl – R412 000
– Jasmyn – R1 380 430
– Johan de Jongh – R2 365 670
– Kerk – R2 236 960
– Paddy – R642 320
This project comprises maintenance of approximately 14 km of surfaced roads, as prioritised in the Pavement Management System (PMS) in Ashton, Bonnievale, Montagu and Robertson, dated 2019.
The new capital budget makes provision for R33,35 million that will assist with part of the shortfall towards the operational upgrading of roads. The budget also makes provision for a second entrance project at Nkqubela, Robertson to the value of R8,06 million.
“A new entrance on the R317 road between Robertson and Bonnievale will reduce traffic volumes at the existing entrance to Nkqubela, This will greatly improve traffic flow, safety of vehicles and pedestrians. The upgrade of the MR219 road into Bonnievale is a provincial government project where the municipal budget will contribute a further R2,46 million for the rehabilitation of the section of the road between Waterkant Street and Main Road in Bonnievale”
