The Democratic Alliance calls on Emthanjeni Municipal Manager, Disang Molaole, to table an urgent fleet recovery plan with clear timelines to repair and replace critical road maintenance equipment.
This comes as some roads in Emthanjeni are finally being attended to following sustained pressure from the DA. While residents will appreciate the improvement, the municipality continues to ignore the underlying cause of its road maintenance failures. This includes a collapsing fleet and the absence of a sustainable recovery plan.
Instead of restoring its own capacity, Emthanjeni Municipality has resorted to hiring TLBs and graders despite making no provision in the 2026/2027 budget for equipment hire, fleet repairs or fleet replacement. This is neither sustainable nor financially responsible, nor will it reduce the municipality’s growing road maintenance backlog across De Aar, Britstown and Hanover.
Earlier this year, the DA warned that a shortage of skills, equipment and resources was crippling road maintenance. Five months down the line, the municipal fleet garage still resembles a growing scrapyard. In February, one of the municipality’s four TLBs was still operational. Today, none are. The municipality’s two graders also remain out of service, while one grader reportedly only needs a replacement gearbox to return to service.
The DA is also concerned about the quality of current roadworks. In the main road running through De Aar, badly damaged sections have merely been covered with tar without repairing the failed road base. These short-term fixes are unlikely to last.
The municipality’s failure to prioritise fleet repairs and road maintenance in the 2026/2027 budget was one of the main reasons the DA could not support it. Temporary interventions cannot replace proper maintenance, sound planning and investment in municipal equipment.
The DA will continue holding the municipality accountable and fighting for better roads. At the next Council meeting, we will table a motion demanding a report on fleet and equipment hire costs, a comprehensive audit of the municipal fleet, a fleet recovery and operationalisation plan, and a formal road blading schedule for all gravel roads.
Residents deserve more than short-term fixes. They deserve safer roads, a functioning municipal fleet and a municipality whose aspirations extend beyond crisis management.