Photo: Supplied
According to Johan Bezuidenhout, NWK’s group manager of corporative marketing and communications, these roads were in a terrible condition. He added that it made good business sense to carry out the repairs so that grain producers were able to deliver their harvests to silos.
READ Initiative to address South Africa’s failing rural roads welcomed
“Some of the roads have deteriorated to such an extent that it led to major breakages and damage to delivery vehicles. This was caused by, among others, heavy rain and flooding during the past few months.
“We also see it as part of our community responsibility to rebuild the roads, some of which have become life-threatening,” he told Farmer’s Weekly.
The project, which commenced on 13 March, was estimated to cost about R1,4 million. Roads in the Oppaslaagte and Delareyville areas were currently being graded, after which roads surrounding Kameel, Geysdorp, Sannieshof, Coligny, Bodenstein and Koster would be tackled.
READ Myth conceptions about travelling on a dirt road
About 1 500km of roads were rehabilitated by the company in 2022 after it signed a memorandum of understanding with North West’s Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport.
Theo Rabe, CEO of NWK, added: “The state of gravel and even tar roads in North West varies between poor and extremely poor, and the provincial and national governments are not really giving attention to the necessary maintenance.
“If we don’t get involved, the risk is high that our road network could collapse entirely. Neither NWK nor our clients can afford such a collapse.”
The provincial road rehabilitation project was expected to be completed by the end of May this year.
