The crumbling infrastructure within North West Province is set to get focused attention as Premier Lazarus Mokgosi and his executive push forward with the establishment of a specialised roads agency.
Mokgosi said during a quarterly media briefing on Friday that the aim is to drive targeted improvements and deliver sustainable solutions to the province’s long-standing road maintenance challenges.
A concept document detailing the plan, titled, “Establishment of a Roads Agency for the North West Province”, outlines the pressing need for this initiative, citing severe deterioration and safety concerns.
The roads agency is expected to bolster the province’s capacity to undertake large-scale road renovations and upgrades.
The concept document underscores the need to “bring on board the required expertise and increase the available human capital who will be charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the road networks are of good quality”.
Currently, the province is responsible for an expansive road network stretching over 19,743km. Shockingly, only a quarter of these roads are tarred, yet they bear the brunt of more than 80% of the provincial traffic, according to findings from a recent condition assessment.
The concept document notes: “The current state of the roads in the North West Province is generally poor, unsafe, and substantially dilapidated”, posing a significant risk to motorists and their vehicles.
The Department of Public Works and Roads (DPWR) has identified numerous hinderances to progress, including limited resources, funding constraints, and a backlog in essential
maintenance.
“Many roads, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, are deteriorating due to irregular maintenance,” the document highlights. It calls for a dedicated agency to “take charge of road management and drive sustainable improvements”.
In the state of the province address in 2023, the government declared: “We are taking action to repair, maintain and upgrade most of the roads in the province, which have been a source of complaints by many of our communities.”
To this end, Infrastructure South Africa has earmarked R13-billion for the maintenance and upgrading of 39 road projects in the 2023/2024 financial year, with a particular focus on rural roads.
The province currently faces high accident rates due to poorly maintained roads. The document warns of “increased incidents, often caused by potholes, lack of road markings, and insufficient safety barriers”, which result in tragic loss of life and lead to high litigation costs from road-related claims.
Moreover, the isolation of rural communities due to inadequate connectivity restricts access to essential services, markets and economic opportunities, limiting their participation in healthcare, education and local business endeavours.
The DPWR has proposed that the executive council delegate authority to them to initiate and oversee the establishment of the agency. The document details plans to engage with key stakeholders, including the National Treasury and the national Department of Transport, to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and
secure necessary funding.
Mokgosi said the establishment of a Provincial Roads Agency represented a significant step forward for the North West Province, offering a structured and strategic approach to overcoming the infrastructure challenges that have hindered economic growth and compromised safety for far too long.
As the concept document aptly concluded: “A drastic intervention is required if the department is to turn around the current trend.”
