Budget delays stall key road repairs

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16-03-2026
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Highway Mail
Source

The roads which have been of concern to local residents include Old Main Road, Kassier Road and Inanda Road.

COMPLAINTS have surfaced over the poor state of Old Main Road in Hillcrest, with calls for it to be retarred rather than having potholes patched.

These complaints include a section running from McDonald’s to Kassier Road of Old Main Road which is one that has been of major concern to locals.

According to PR councillor Jen Black, the road needs to be retarred and this being escalated to the relevant managers in the provincial department has not borne fruit.

“It got to the point where our MPL portfolio holder for provincial roads was being ignored by the MEC for roads and transport. I then ambushed him at a public meeting so I could speak directly to him. He basically told me it was too late, October last year, for the road to be included in the 2026/2027 budget,” said Black.

Other roads which need attention, said Black, are Kassier Road and Inanda Road.

Black said Old Main Road from the M13 Hillcrest onramp needs to be resurfaced past Kassier Road.

“Inanda Road intersection from at least Richdens Spar to past Mozambique restaurant all need resurfacing. Kassier Road also needs huge repairs, especially at Old Main Road intersection, caused by burst pipes,” said Black.

The area’s ward councillor, Marco Mbambo, could not be reached for comment.

Ndabezinhle Sibiya, the spokesperson for the MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, said the department is “currently reprioritising budgets for construction projects”.

“We are hopeful that the new budget to be allocated [on Tuesday, March 10] by Treasury, we will have enough money to do maintenance and new construction projects. There is a backlog of over R20b in maintenance throughout the province. If we had enough budget we would have ensured that we have tarred roads all over KZN. Despite this shortage, we try to do more with little,” said Sibiya.