Giyani Municipality blames funding gap for road delays

Tags

---

04-04-2025
Read : 169 times
Letaba Herald
Source

Greater Giyani Municipality cites lack of funding for delays in constructing a long-awaited alternative road to ease R81 congestion, despite completed designs.

LIMPOPO – The Greater Giyani Municipality has finally provided explanations for the delays in constructing a much-needed alternative road in Giyani, a project that has been long anticipated by residents and commuters.

The project, which is designed to ease congestion on the R81 road by introducing an alternative route for vehicles entering and exiting Giyani town, has been under consideration since 2011.

Over the years, every municipal administration that has taken office has made commitments to address the issue, repeatedly assuring residents that progress would be made.

However, despite these promises and ongoing discussions, no tangible action has been taken to implement the project, leaving the town to grapple with persistent traffic congestion during festive seasons and public holidays when the town experiences a surge in visitors, travellers and commuters.

Responding to questions from community members during the municipality’s IDP rep forum meeting on Thursday at the Community Hall, municipal manager Duncan Vusi Khoza attributed the delay to a lack of money needed to start the project.

He said that constructing either of the two proposed alternative roads would be very expensive because both routes need to cross a large stream. This, he explained, would necessitate the construction of bridges, which would cost many times more than the municipality’s current annual budget allocation.

“The designs for both roads have already been completed. However, as you know, we are a municipality that relies on grants, and we are not in a position to undertake such big projects with our current allocation from the Treasury. Otherwise, all other services within the municipality would have to be halted for an entire year just to construct one alternative road,” explained Khoza.

The municipality, however, is said to be making inroads toward securing the necessary funds for the construction of alternative routes. “The director-general in the Office of the Presidency has committed to providing us with money for the implementation of the project,” Cllr Cedrick Baloyi, head of local economic development in Giyani interjected.

Baloyi supported the municipal manager’s statement that it was not feasible to undertake the project with the municipality’s budget alone. “Without external funding, we cannot afford to construct these alternative roads at all,” he said.

Meanwhile, the municipal manager further addressed questions about defective streetlights in town and Section F, explaining that those in town were affected by cable theft. “We had several cases of cable theft that led to the streetlights malfunctioning. At some point, suspects were caught, but the theft did not stop,” he said.

Regarding the streetlights in Section F, the municipal manager said the municipality was working on the issue and would address it soon.

“Fortunately, we have financial assistance from the Department of Energy. If you look carefully, you will notice that we have already started refurbishing streetlights in some sections using this grant. We will also be coming to Section F to do the same,” he said.