6 May 2008

By Nangamso Mabindla

IN an effort to create employment and improve the quality of roads in the province, the Eastern Cape department of roads and transport has a number of road construction programmes planned in different municipal areas.

The MEC for safety, liaison, roads and transport, Thobile Mhlahlo, said that his department expected to spend over R250-million and create about 3 455 jobs through these various construction projects as part of the Expanded Public Works Programme.

"The department has adopted a policy of ensuring that the Expanded Public Works Programme principles are applied in every project that it is implementing. This means the introduction of labour-intensive methods of work, skills development and poverty alleviation."

He said the roads construction projects would spread throughout the province, with places like Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Metro, OR Tambo District and other municipalities benefiting.

In the 2008-09 financial year, the department would spend about R7-million on the construction of a road between East London and Lilyvale in Buffalo City, with 112 jobs created. The cash would be split between labour and resource value.

Mhlahlo said that his department would also like to concentrate on the ratio of surface to gravel roads in the province.

"On 5 and 6 June, I will be hosting the Eastern Cape Rural Roads Summit at the Qunu Youth and Heritage Centre in Mthatha, which will be attended by all stakeholders involved in the construction and maintenance of road infrastructure, including other transport sector role players, district and local municipalities."

During the summit his department would present its strategy and priorities for the next 10 years. "This strategy seeks to change the ratio of surface to gravel roads from 80 percent to 20 percent."

At present, only 5 102 kilometres of the province's roads are surfaced and 38 363 kilometres are gravel. Areas like Buffalo City, with over 300 rural areas, stand to benefit from the provincial government's strategy.

Source: BuffaloCity.gov.za