Work on R522 stops amidst RAL management reshuffle

All rehabilitation work on the R522 road between Louis Trichardt and Vivo has once again come to a halt over the past week, much to the frustration of frequent road users.

In July this year, the newspaper reported on the frustration of road users regarding the snail’s pace at which preventative maintenance was being carried out. In mid-April this year, large parts of the road’s surface were completely removed, turning sections into gravel.

In July, RAL spokesperson Mr Danny Legodi stated, however, that work had not stopped and that several projects, broken down into phases, were either completed, already in progress, or in their implementation stages. He highlighted aspects of the work that had been done and was ongoing as well as stating that contractors were on site.

Immediately after the article appeared at the end of July, motorists reported a flurry of activity, much to their delight. However, this was short-lived, and about two weeks ago, motorists once again reported that all work had apparently ceased.

RAL was asked once again why construction work on this busy road had stopped.

“As previously communicated, the R522 (P98/2) project is under a preventative maintenance contract T1256C. This includes resurfacing, pothole repairs, and drainage system improvements. Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) is aware that work on the R522 road has paused, and we understand the impact this may have. Currently, RAL is addressing some site operational matters that have temporarily affected progress,” was the response received on Tuesday from Luyanda Sithole, RAL’s communications manager.

“We would like to assure all stakeholders that we are working diligently to resolve these issues and will provide an update on the resumption of work as soon as possible. We appreciate their patience and understanding during this time,” said Sithole.

The “site operational matters” may have much to do with the fact that the RAL Board ceased to exist last month after three of the board members resigned, leaving the board unable to form a quorum. On Monday this week, Limpopo MEC for Public Works, Roads, and Infrastructure Mr Ernest Rachoene announced the appointment of an interim accounting authority for RAL. He officially introduced Mr Moses Tseli to RAL and the department’s executive management at the entity’s Polokwane headquarters. The interim accounting authority has been appointed in terms of Section 49(3) of the Public Finance Management Act 1999.

Tseli is well known locally. He is a former Chief Whip of the Makhado Municipality and served as an MP between 2014 and 2019. He also worked at the Department of Economic Development, Environment, and Tourism, where he was the official spokesperson of then-MEC, the late Mr Collins Chabane, and the department. Most recently, he was attached to the Limpopo Tourism Agency, where he was responsible for destination marketing.

Regarding the appointment of the new RAL interim accounting authority, Rachoene said that this would allow for the smooth running of the board as the people of Limpopo expected improved service delivery in the realm of roads infrastructure. The interim authority will oversee the running of RAL while the department finalises the process of appointing the new board of directors.

Date:23 August 2024

By: Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

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