- Residents of Nkowankowa and Dan Village say pothole-filled roads only get attention when top politicians visit.
- Department claims roadwork is part of weekly campaign, not linked to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Women’s Day visit.
Residents in Tzaneen say their roads are only fixed when a big-name politician is on the way.
The D673 Bindzulani–Letaba Hospital Road and the D5011 leading to Nkowankowa were both patched up recently, just days before President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to visit the area for a Women’s Day event at Nkowankowa Stadium on Saturday, 9 August.
While locals were happy to see the potholes finally being filled, they say it’s no coincidence that the repairs happened now.
“This shows us that our people will only get service delivery when a high-profile person comes to our area,” said Ward 19 resident Given Mlondobozi. “We are not stupid. It’s clear the fixing of the road is not about helping us, it’s about covering up their failure.”
According to the community, this is not the first time the roads have suddenly been fixed ahead of a major visit.
The same roads were repaired in October last year before the funeral of former Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. And the time before that? When President Ramaphosa visited in October 2022, during an African National Congress political campaign.
In between those visits, the roads were left in terrible condition. Large potholes made driving dangerous, especially during the rainy season and rush hour.
But the Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure in Limpopo insists it’s all part of a plan, not a panic.
Spokesperson Emmanuel Mongwe says the repairs are part of the department’s #DikgerekgereWednesdays campaign, which focuses on fixing the province’s worst roads every week.
“This is part of the work of our Dikgerekgere Wednesdays service delivery initiative,” Mongwe said. “It’s an ongoing campaign aimed at making both our paved and unpaved roads drivable.”
Pictured above: Department of Public Works fixing the Bindzulani road.
Image source: Supplied
