As much as 40% of the provincial road network has reached the end of its design life, and approximately 80% of the national road network is now older than the 20-year design life.

The state of roads has also been the spark of numerous protests by irate residents and motorists. Dilapidated roads are a common sight in the Eastern Cape. One such is the R411 from Viedgesville to Coffee Bay – a 75 km exercise in extreme driving caution.

The R411 takes tourists to the world-famous Coffee Bay, but it barely resembles a proper road. For the past two decades residents have been calling for action. Local businesses and taxi associations say they have suffered a huge blow due to the condition of the road.

We are committed to working with communities and all stakeholders not only to protect our public infrastructure, but also to use our road network to enable sustainable livelihoods and empower local communities. @SANRAL_za @MbalulaFikile https://t.co/6srQanRjP2 pic.twitter.com/m1CU4roOvE

— Department of Transport (@Dotransport) August 5, 2022

South Africa’s Road maintenance backlogs continue to grow, Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, says a national programme is coming, to address the backlogs. He says the launching of the Vala Zonke programme which will target potholes in the main roads, in the regional roads in the provinces.

Mbalula elaborates, “President has directed me that I must launch this project nationally and I must go and work with the private sector and anyone else and then also bring the necessary skill in terms of closing of potholes, so that when you close the pothole, you know you don’t do it for cameras, the pothole is closed. After two weeks when heavy rains comes the potholes open up.

SABC