Motorists and public transport operators believe that their cry for better roads has fallen into deaf ears. Lusikisiki is infested with poorly maintained roads that do not have proper indicated traffic directions, no pedestrian pavements and infested roads that have outrageously large potholes. Motorists and public transport operators are left stranded as they have to forfeit from their own pockets when subjected to tire busts or damaged wheel alignments caused by driving into a pothole.
Motorists in this rural town are subjected to ducking and diving pedestrians on the road as they do not have designated pedestrian walk lanes. The town is overpopulated and congested with informal businesses taking over lanes meant for pedestrians.
Motorist-Wesley Grimett who commutes daily to the Lusikisiki town said a trip from his village called Kanana is meant to take 15 minutes instead it takes 30 minutes. He said that one has to drive slowly in order to avoid any damage to a vehicle. As the road crisis is not only subjected to national routes, local routes suffer the worst.
“It will never get better. Over the years the road has just gone worse. The municipality disappoints me deeply.” said a motorist Wesley Grimett.
Early this year public transport operators and motorists took to the streets and closed down the town for a day. This was done to instill an understanding to the municipal mayor that they are not pleased with the condition of the road infrastructure.
We were slapped with empty promises from the mayor. The mayor addressed us as public transport operators and promised us better roads. We have not seen any implementations yet. – said Border Taxi Rank Manager Mzoli Mcoboti.
Ingquza Hill Local Municipality spokesperson Zamuxolo Matwasa said “Of course this is an unfortunate situation for our town which has been caused by the poor material used by the service providers which is easily washed away. The municipality is working on the appointment of the service provider to fix solid white lines and directions. There is also looting and vandalism to sign posts which is engulfing in the demographic location.”
Roads are categorised as National roads, Provincial Roads and also local roads which are sad to be access roads which belong to the municipality. R61 which cuts across both Lusikisiki and Flagstaff is a provincial road whose maintenance is a competence of the provincial government.
In October 2021 the Provincial government appointed a service provider to reseal potholes which had a very slow pace. In February 2022 the Provincial government appointed SANRAL to take over R61 and has also appointed subcontractors to maintain R61. That programme has started on the 27 th September 2022 from Lusikisiki town until Tshandatshe and the site has already been established and there are four companies working on this project from Lusikisiki to flagstaff under Concor.
“The project is expected to take 8 months and finished its work. There are employment opportunities
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