R280m road rehabilitation project fails to deliver

A R280 million road rehabilitation project in Emfuleni is facing mounting scrutiny after several of the 40 upgraded roads were left in worse condition than before, with some abandoned midway despite millions already being paid to contractors.

- MASABATA MKWANANZI

R280 million Emfuleni road project leaves roads worse off.

(MASABATA MKWANANZI)

What was meant to restore critical infrastructure has instead left communities grappling with crumbling surfaces, deep potholes and roads so severely damaged that taxis and emergency vehicles can no longer pass.

An oversight visit to key sites including Sekati Street in Boipatong, Nelson Mandela Road in Bophelong, Ezidumevu Street in Zone 6, and Sebe Street in Zone 7 revealed widespread deterioration, patchwork repairs and incomplete work.

Residents said their initial relief when the project began in February 2024 has turned into frustration and disbelief.

“The old tar road they fixed was in a better state than the new one they did,” said one resident, who asked not to be named.

The resident further alleged that inferior materials were used, with newly rehabilitated sections already peeling while older surfaces remain intact.

On Ezidumevu Street, only about 800 metres of road was repaired, leaving visible gaps between completed and untouched sections. Other areas were patched unevenly, and residents said the road is now unusable despite attempts by the community to fix it themselves.

In Bophelong, Nelson Mandela Road has been left incomplete and has since been turned into an illegal dumping site, worsening already dire conditions.