Yet another storm is in the brewing as the bulk of the targeted roads earmarked for tarring in the Joe Morolong area remain rough and rutted.
The Road Forum is saying that they are giving the relevant authorities a long rope to tie themselves but, for how long ?
Following the recent meeting held on July 02, 2018 at the John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality between the forum representatives, mayoral forum and the Department of Road and Public Works, the Road Forum’s chairperson, Mr Kagiso Gaborokwe, said that the road construction progress was greatly disenchanting to say the least. This comes after the revelations that only thirty kilometres of the one hundred and thirty kilometres have been tarred since 2014.
Mr Gaborokwe said that the arrangement is that, come September 2018, the forum will be ready for the unfamiliar decision to ensure that the memorandum of understanding signed in 2014 is adhered to by the signatories. “Since government had committed three years to the project (2014-2017) only a paltry thirty kilometres have been completed. It appears the government has turned its language claiming that they had never committed themselves to the project.
The forum believes each time a minister or top officials leave office, the new incumbent revokes standing agreements by initiating endless steering committees only to confuse the community. It is very unfortunate because the antelope is seeing all the tricks the hunter is orchestrating around him. “As the forum we are not asleep but very alert”
The roads in contention are Heiso to Masohatshe about 52 kilometres main road (950) from N14, road from Bothithong Dithakong (15km), road from Samsokolo to Loopeng (30km) and the main road (950) from Rusfontein to Laxey (33km). These roads, according to Mr Gaborokwe, were prioritised as short-term intervention to extinguish the fire of community protests that haunted the Joe Morolong area.
On the challenges raised in the joint meeting about the delay of the project, were the financial constraints faced by SIOC-cdt to fulfil its commitments, community disruptions and an interdict to the chosen constructor during the start of phase two of the project. As renewed anguish is mounting Mr Gaborokwe said that there are no graders to level up the rough surfaces of the roads yet the former Public Works and Roads MEC Sokatsha had promised a new fleet for Joe Morolong but that was water under the bridge.
He said that while government is dangling on with this project, the community will reciprocally dangle with the 2019 elections to balance the equation. Another view still in the melting pot is a massive protest at Kumba to catalyse its community development trust to act decisively.
Chairperson of the Road Forum Mr Kagiso Gaborokwe.
