Mahikeng, North West’s capital city, grapples with a severe road infrastructure crisis as most of its local roads have fallen into disrepair.

The potholes and deteriorating road conditions cause significant frustration for motorists and residents, leading to widespread concerns about managing the city’s infrastructure.

Alec Votyeka, a Bosa candidate in North West, voiced his dissatisfaction with the state of Mahikeng’s roads. He criticised the ruling party and the provincial government for their neglected infrastructure.

“Infrastructure has collapsed because the problem is corruption. The money that should be used for maintenance has been misused,” Votyeka claimed.

He drew an analogy to building a house, emphasising the necessity of ongoing maintenance to prevent deterioration. According to Votyeka, misusing funds has led to a lack of progress and visible infrastructure decay.

Votyeka also expressed scepticism about the provincial government’s service delivery initiative, Thuntsha Lerole, which was introduced last year. He suggested that such programmes are often launched as election tactics and doubted their effectiveness.

“They tend to introduce these programmes when elections are near, and I don’t understand their obsession to always link their service delivery programmes with ‘dust’, like the former premier’s Setsokotsane initiative,” he remarked.

ANC provincial spokesperson, Tumelo Maruping, defended the government’s efforts, stating that the Thuntsha Lerole programme is actively addressing the issues.

“We are patching a lot of potholes, despite the financial constraints experienced during the midterm budget in October 2023. The ANC-led government started this work long before elections were announced,” Maruping said. He acknowledged the challenges faced by various municipalities but emphasised ongoing interventions.

Maruping also highlighted recent developments to boost the province’s economy and job market. He mentioned the upcoming launch of a gas-to-power plant in Matlosana, which is expected to create around 10,000 jobs. The premier discussed this project during the State of the Province Address.

Potholes captured in Mahikeng during 2024 elections, photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

Additionally, Maruping spoke of plans for a mega city between Ventersdorp and Moses Kotane, which promises to create jobs. He also noted an agreement to build a mining school in Rustenburg, which will train young people in refining raw products locally to reduce the export of raw materials.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg