The district authorities received a lashing from the panel consisting of commissioner Philile Ntuli, provincial manager Dr Eileen Carter and Dr Siyabulela Fobosi before their presentations. The commission said roads at issue included Cwebeni in Port St Johns, the stretch leading to Thafalofefe Hospital in Centane, the Mantlaneni access road in Lusikisild and the Silindini access road in KwaBhaca. Ntuli said grievances had been received from residents across the province, so they had to call officials to appear before them from several government entities and departments including transport, tourism, Sanral, education, Road Accident Fund, treasury and cooperative governance. In November, the Dispatch reported that the transport department told the commission it needed R151bn to fix the backlog. Just 10% of Eastern Cape roads are tarred. Devastated roads and bridges from recent floods in areas such as Port St Johns have added to the backlog. Ntuli said: "I must emphasise our disappointment in the municipality not making it during the inquiry in November. "It's unfortunate we had to resort to subpoenas." The ORT district is home to 1.4million people and has international tourism attractions like HoleintheWall, yet it is barely accessible without a 4x4 because of the parlous state of the roads. The district has five local municipalities Mhlontlo, Port St Johns, Nyandeni, King Sabata Dalindyebo and Ingquza Hill. Projects outlined in its presentation to the commission this week include a 7.81cm stretch of the Cwebeni access road in ward 5 of Port St Johns R5.6m from the municipal infrastructure grant , a 9km stretch of the Ngcoya access road in ward 18 near Lusildsiki R4.4m , and a 9km stretch of the Babeke access road in ward 19 in Port St Johns. The Dispatch has reported extensively about the state of the province's roads. In some areas, children cannot go to school when it rains as the roads and bridges become impassable. Many villagers adults and children have lost their lives trying to cross raging rivers swollen by frequent flash floods. In some areas, men carry coffins on their shoulders for kilometres to a point where a hearse can manage the terrain. Nceba Mamve, chair of the Cwebeni Development Forum, led his area's presentation to the commission in November. "Children can't go to school when it rains. The road's full of potholes and dongas. "It was last attended to years ago and has been neglected ever since. The municipality is aware of this." The road is about 131cm from Thombo on the R61 to Cwebeni beach. "We reported it to the commission because our cries keep falling on deaf ears. It's one of the human rights we feel were infringed," Mamve said. The district authority coordinates the integrated transport plan and its implementation, and convenes a district transport forum. Local municipalities are mandated to maintain local roads. In a report presented by municipal manager Basil Mase, the ORT district municipality said it had 2,5921cm of unsealed roads. It also had 6141cm of sealed roads, 4,819km of footways, 4,8191cm of guardrails, 12,574 drainage pits and 5,604 open channels. Port St Johns was highlighted as the area hardesthit by dis asters, including floods which impact on the state of roads. Mase said the provincial government had invested about R391.6m across the five municipalities for disaster response to the road infrastructure for the 2023 2024 financial year. KSD has been allocated R77.8m, Mhlontlo R66.5m, PSJ R53m, Ingquza Hill R77.7m and Nyandeni R116.5m. The funds are for regravelling, installing pipes and wet blading. Mase said some of the projects had been completed, while work was under way in others. "Over the past three years, the municipalities have been provided with the disaster grant fund due to recent disasters that have damaged the roads." But challenges, especially after the recent floods, still faced municipalities. "The different sectors are working together in dealing with these challenges." Without explaining why the municipality did not pitch in November, OR Tambo district mayor Mesuli Ngqondwana apologised for its failure to appear. "We commit to ensure it doesn't happen again, and we do make the point that we are doing everything in our power to ensure there's consequence management." Ngqondwana admitted the municipality had a roads infrastructure backlog, and said they were in constant interaction with the local municipalities and provincial government to ensure interventions were made. "We are confronted with legislative restrictions that include funding. "In the past two years, we have had directives from the treasury on how we conduct our finances. "We are under intervention by the provincial government. "We have a mandatory financial plan that we are implementing under the strict guidance and supervision of the provincial and national government to ensure we confine ourselves within our mandate and we do what the law instructs us to do." Ngqondwana and Mase said among their challenges were disasters damaging previously fixed roads. Assuring the panel he was acutely aware of children's struggles to get to school, Ngqondwana said: "We are doing our best." Carter said the commission would be on the ground to see progress. On the sidelines, Ngqondwana said: "We must make this commitment to the public that cooperation between the provincial government, the district and local municipalities is beginning to yield some fruit. "We give guarantees that all good is being done and especially the problem of bridges will soon be a thing of the past." Transnet also apologised. The three representatives said their infrastructure was less vandalised than in some other provinces. Douglas Mamba, a Transnet general manager in strategy and planning, said Transnet had completed construction of the Mamathwane crossing loop in the Northern Cape which had significant implications for the Eastern Cape. This included additional rail slots for 104wagon manganese trains to Gqeberha, which would reduce truck volumes on the route, and the establishment of a new export channel for manganese through the port of East London, also reducing road haul volumes.

Source: Daily Dispatch