Road works continue to frustrate local motorists

Date: 14 April 2017 By: Isabel Venter

Road works on the Louis Trichardt/Thohoyandou road continue to frustrate local motorists.

Last week, the Zoutpansberger reported on motorist’s concerns regarding a lack of safety measures where road works are being done. There was more than one local motorist who felt that there is no effective control at the road works. After the article was published, more readers came forward with similar complaints.

“I use that road on a daily basis. It’s a disaster. The controllers are somehow not communicating at all. It has happened on several occasions; when you would meet other cars in the same lane,” wrote Mr Thapelo Mohlake on the Zoutpansberger’s Facebook page.

Another resident, Mr Johan Fourie, was flabbergasted and said that he cannot comprehend the contractors’ need to close a 5km stretch of road when they are only working on a 100m stretch.

The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) this week commented on the situation.

In as far as the actual road works were concerned, SANRAL said that their contractors finish the work that they have started on the same day, except for when the surfacing is 30mm deep. “All the base patches, which require that a layer be dig out, is finished on the same day. After completing a base patch, a ramp is provided at the start and end of each patch. Base patches are closed with asphalt the following day,” explained SANRAL’s general manager of communications, Mr Vusi Mona. According to Mona, surface patches which do not require digging, are repaired and closed with asphalt almost immediately.

Mona did not comment on any of the questions put to SANRAL regarding the unsafe road works situation. Instead, he shifted the “blame” back to motorists. “Our major concern is that motorists using the route do not adhere to the speed limit, and this makes it dangerous for the contractors to continue with their duties,” said Mona. When the newspaper tried to contact him again to find out why he did not respond to the allegations that road works personnel were acting irresponsibly, he could not be reached. Apparently, he was on his way to Louis Trichardt to meet with the contractors in person. Mona did, however, confirm that the project, which will entail the resurfacing of the national route R524 Section 1 from the N1 to Mahodlongwa (km 35.8) and Section 2 from Basani to Punda Maria Gate (km 34.6), is expected to be finished by June this year.

In the meantime, Reverend Petrus Kriel, this week again complained to the Zoutpansberger about his frequent near misses traveling on the road as both lanes are opened to allow traffic to flow through on a single lane. He uses the road daily, traveling between Levubu and Louis Trichardt.

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Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

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