Several months ago, according to the DA, the Department of Police Roads and Transport, the Premier of the Free State, and different MECs inspected the site and pledged to enhance its quality.
Tragically, 33 people have lost their life on this infamously hazardous road to date. This road has been a source of concern for motorists for over a year.
Karabo Khakhau, the DA Spokesperson for Roads in the Free State Legislature, stated, “The department agreed to the expeditious repair of this road, but Free State motorists are still awaiting the fulfillment of this commitment.”
According to the opposition party, the R30 Allanridge is not included in the Department’s budget for the 2022/23 fiscal year, nor will it be repaired as part of the Vala Zonke Pothole Filling Campaign.
During a Portfolio Committee meeting in the Free State Legislature last week, the Department reportedly stated, “We are working on a plan to repair this road” when the DA inquired about the progress of the agreement.
While the provincial government works on a plan to repair the R30, according to the opposition party, people are dying. “These lives are not simple body counts or reference data. They are the lives of children, mothers, fathers, loved ones, and members of the community, the DA stated.
The DA addressed the following questions to William Bulwane, MEC for Free State Police, Roads and Transport:
What is the current status of the road project, if it exists?
Which organizations are participating in this project, if it exists?
How much does this project cost, if it exists?
When is this project expected to be completed, if it exists?
Families of those who perished on this route have they been identified? In that case, what kind of interaction has the department had with these families?