The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) relentless pressure has successfully pushed the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport to resume upgrades on Beyers Naude Road (M5). The DA welcomes the resumption of the upgrade on this road and will continue to monitor the progress to ensure completion as committed by the department without any further delay.
The upgrading of Beyers Naudé Drive (M5) to provide the growing traffic between the N14 and Peter Road in Muldersdrift began in 2023. However, after a few months, it came to a halt and was ultimately abandoned by the assigned contractor.
Since then, the DA has exerted pressure on the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, through its representatives at both the provincial and local levels, insisting on the completion of the road upgrade. Due to this pressure, the department has resumed the essential upgrade after being pushed to act.
This is a great victory for the residents, businesses, and developers who have had to postpone their projects until the upgrade is complete. We are eager to see the teams on-site and the work finished, as this will unlock many economic opportunities for the communities near this road.
The DA will continue to hold the Premier Panyaza Lesufi-led government accountable for failing to enforce consequences on contractors who abandon projects and deprive our communities of essential infrastructure. We will therefore be engaging the MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, to ascertain the actions taken against the contractor and efforts to recoup the money paid to them.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would have ensured that a competent contractor is appointed and pushed to complete this project within time and budget. We would ease the burden on motorists by implementing our infrastructure master plan, which focuses on road maintenance.