It represents a 15,84% increase on last year's budget of R1,073bn.
“Investing in roads infrastructure remains one of the major priorities of the department. The role of roads infrastructure towards economic development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) cannot be overemphasised. Although the allocated amount may not satisfy and attend to all our needs, it will go a long way in improving our road network,” said MEC Clifford Mkasi during his department's 2010/2011 budget speech on Thursday.
With more than 70% of South Africa's energy needs supplied by power stations in Mpumalanga, Mkasi acknowledged the damage done to roads by coal hauliers.
"Coal is ferried from the mines to the power plants in trucks that result in the deterioration of our roads where these operations take place. Maintenance of our coal haulage routes has always posed a challenge due to the provincial budgetary restraints. We've budgeted R173m for the rehabilitation of the P29/1 road between Emalahleni and Ogies and the P50/1 between Ermelo and Morgenzon. These are multiyear projects that started in the 2009/2010 financial year that have to be completed this year," he said.
Mkasi added that the department was waiting for funding from the national treasury to assist in the rehabilitation of coal haulage routes.
He recognised that maintenance formed a critical part of road network management and said the overall maintenance budget had increased by 34% from R269m the previous year to R408m.
”This year’s increase represents the financial ramifications of a paradigm shift that fundamentally seeks to find a balance between the rollout of new infrastructure and preserving existing infrastructure. The additional budget will also go a long way in addressing the current maintenance backlogs.
“We had set aside R163m for routine road maintenance and R173m for preventative road maintenance. The other items making up the maintenance budget include R23m for re-gravelling and R7m for minor bridge repairs,” he said. – Thobile Mlangeni, BuaNews
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