R32m spent on road upgrade ‘that only exists on Google Maps’

THE Gauteng provincial roads and transport department is under fire after revealing spending over R32 million upgrading a stretch of Evaton Road in the Vaal, yet the area has nothing to show for it.

- LOYISO SIDIMBA [e-mail]

Instead, Evaton Road between Adams and Selbourne roads in Small Farms has a gravel street, a footpath over a stream and an illegal dumping site.

The area is between iMfundo Primary School and Tokelo Secondary School and is separated by the Rietspruit stream. During his 2016 state of the province address, then-Gauteng premier David Makhura announced that his administration would upgrade Evaton Road between Adams and Selbourne roads.

DA member of the Gauteng provincial legislature Kingsol Chabalala asked the roads and transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela about the promised upgrade.

She indicated that the project started in October 2017 and was completed at the end of August 2017.

Diale-Tlabela said her department was happy with the work done by the service providers as the project was well implemented.