Note to editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Evert Du Plessis MPL.
More than a year later, the sinkhole on the R563 in Krugersdorp has not been repaired due to a lack of budget. The longer this sinkhole remains unrepaired, the more it will continue to grow, putting the lives of people using this road at risk.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng demands that the Gauteng MEC for Roads and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, prioritise allocating budget to repair this sinkhole, which is affecting the road surface and may lead to road collapse.
This information was revealed by MEC Diale-Tlabela in a reply to questions tabled by the DA questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).
According to the MEC, a geologist was appointed to conduct the geotechnical investigation with the geotechnical contractor. A tender and Bill of Quantities (BOQ) specification have been prepared and submitted to the Supply Chain Management team for procurement of a contractor.
This is not a new sinkhole that formed overnight. This is something the MEC knew about for more than a year, and the budget was supposed to be prioritised.
Residents of Gauteng deserve a government that effectively uses its budget for their benefit. The DA will table follow-up questions to ascertain how much is needed to repair this sinkhole. We will also raise this matter at the Roads and Logistics portfolio committee.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would immediately do an audit of all roads in the province. We would prioritise roads in dire need of maintenance and ensure that every cent of the maintenance budget is used solely for its intended purpose.