Roads under pressure as business booms

Poor infrastructure limits economic growth ED RICHARDSON A GROWING economy, combined with floods, is putting a severe strain on the Eastern Cape’s ageing road network. Convoys of heavily laden trucks are chewing up the tarmac between Port Elizabeth and East London, as well as the main routes between the province and the rest of the subcontinent. The National Freight and Logistics Strategy released in 2005 projected that the Port Elizabeth Corridor would carry 39% more freight than it did in 2003 by the year 2020 and the East London corridor 31% more. In both instances more than 90% would be carried by road and between 6 to 9% by rail. Off the main arterials, the situation is even worse, according to the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC). The organisation states on its website: “Roads in rural areas require massive investment. The provincial roads network covers 55 088 km, but only 5 746 km (or 11%) is tarred. Poor roads limit economic development and the growth of tourism makes it very difficult for rural people to gain access to markets, business opportunities and social services”. While business and hauliers meet government through delegations and conferences, the people are taking to the streets. In April, the community in the Mount Frere district – tired of repeated calls for the upgrading of the 40 km road leading to Sitetu hospital being ignored – blocked traffic to Mthatha on the N2. The blockade was effective: the provincial department of public works graded the road. In April, transport came under the spotlight at the Eastern Cape Transport Summit. Transport minister Jeff Radebe said over R1.54-billion had been allocated to Eastern Cape roads for the 2006/7 financial year. With certain rail lines being upgraded and modernised, Radebe said “increased operations on the rail network, especially the movement of timber and minerals, should alleviate the pressure on our road network”. Eastern Cape roads MEC Thobile Mhlahlo told the conference “transport plays a vital role in economic growth and reduction of poverty by enabling access to markets and economic opportunities, as well as by providing job opportunities in the construction of the infrastructure (i.e. roads, railways, harbours, airports) and in the operation of vehicles to carry people and goods for business and recreation purposes. “Of our R1.98 billion allocation, the roads infrastructure development programme has the largest allocation of R1.48 billion to ensure that we provide a strategic road network. This year, we will spend R630 million on new roads. “Over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework period, the department plans to design and construct 1 100km of new surfaced roads,” he said. Numerous stoppages for roadworks along virtually all the main routes show that the plans have been turned into action. However, the question remains whether enough is being done to ensure that the roads can safely support the predicted growth.