Musekwa road project not abandoned, says RAL

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07-10-2025
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Limpopo Mirror
Source

Commuters who use the road between Musekwa and Maranikhwe are frustrated by the lack of progress on the D3671 road project.

Residents are demanding accountability after the contractor in charge of rehabilitating the six-kilometre stretch, LA Mosekedile Trading Enterprise, appeared to have abandoned the work.

The project, which began in July 2023, came to a halt earlier this year. The contract, valued at R70 million, was due for completion by December 2024.

Community member Livhuwani Mudau expressed disappointment, saying they had hoped the work would be finished by now. “It's just a big mess, and my biggest concern is that the infrastructure is starting to get damaged, which is a waste of money,” he said.

Mudau described the situation as “fruitless and wasteful” expenditure and accused the Road Agency Limpopo (RAL) and the relevant department of “fooling around with the people.” He said they should take responsibility for failing to monitor the project and suggested that if RAL and the department had lost control, they should inform the community, so a way forward could be found.

RAL communication manager Luyanda Sithole said the contractor had not abandoned the site. The temporary movement of plant equipment is part of operational planning as machinery is currently not in use because of the project’s focus shifting to the construction of a bridge. She said this decision was made to optimise resources, not as an indication of withdrawal.

“The scope of work includes upgrading the 6 km stretch of road and constructing two bridges. To date, 83% of the project has been completed, covering 4.6 km of the road. The remaining work includes completing the final 1.4 km and constructing the two bridges,” Sithole said.

She added that the total budget for the project was R70 million, of which R50 million had been spent, reflecting 83% completion. Sithole said RAL took community concerns seriously and remained committed to ensuring all infrastructure projects were completed efficiently and in the best interest of affected communities.

The director of LA Mosekedile Trading Enterprise, Jeffrey Maleto, could not be reached for comment. His phone kept ringing, unanswered.