The DA has launched a petition calling on the Northern Cape Department of Roads and Public Works to intervene in the critical state of the roads in the Hantam area, following the failure of the district office to respond to community concerns.
The condition of gravel roads in the Hantam region has reached a critical level, with residents, farmers and businesses paying the price for years of deterioration and inadequate maintenance.
Farmers and transport companies have no alternative but to use these roads while damage to vehicles, punctured tyres, broken suspension systems and trailers has become commonplace. Emergency vehicles are also delayed when every second counts.
Recent heavy rainfall has aggravated road conditions. In areas where drainage channels have not been cleared, water accumulates and makes roads inaccessible to ordinary vehicles. Emergency vehicles without 4×4 capability become stranded at flooded sections, while school children from small communities have been isolated for weeks because transport vehicles are unable to navigate the roads.
A further concern is the heavy tipper trucks transporting sand to construction sites in the area. These vehicles frequently become stuck in muddy sections, obstruct traffic and cause further damage to already poor roads.
The community has received no meaningful support from the Namakwa District Office of the Department of Public Works and Roads. Repeated enquiries and requests have gone unanswered. Even a roads forum established to improve cooperation between the agricultural sector and the department receives no cooperation.
The DA is gathering signatures for our petition to demand:
• An urgent technical inspection of all critical gravel roads in the Hantam;
• Immediate repair, grading and drainage work with priority afforded to roads connecting schools, clinics, farming areas and emergency routes;
• A transparent and sustainable maintenance plan with fixed timelines and budget; and
• Regular feedback to communities.
In a rural region such as the Hantam, gravel roads are not a luxury, they are a lifeline and when these roads collapse, the entire community suffers alongside them.