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Strategic Overview incorporating the Govan Mbeki Municipal Region

Roads

Road specialists have warned that poor road conditions, including dangerous potholes spread across the country’s roads, could cost motorists a staggering R20-billion a year in accidents and damages. And if left to decay any further, they predict that taxpayers could end up forking out R520-billion to reconstruct roads that have failed.

The AA study, conducted by civil engineer and roads specialist Dr John Sampson, said the road maintenance backlog was estimated at R100-billion, of which R95-billion was for provincial roads. Sampson said a seal every seven years; rehabilitation every 20 years; ongoing and routine grass cutting, drain and culvert clearing, and patch and crack sealing would be needed to keep a road in good condition.

About 70% of roads in North West are in urgent need of repair, compared to 35% in KZN, 32% in the Free State, 30% in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo, 21% in Gauteng, 17% in the Northern Cape, 16% in Mpumalanga and 8% in the Western Cape.

Empowerment Gateway’s own research collaborates the findings of road specialists.

In South Africa there are 6 Metropolitan Municipalities, 46 District Councils and 231 Local Municipalities.

During the past twelve months we focused our attention on the Govan Mbeki municipal region in Mpumalanga situated within the Gert Nsibande district council.

We estimate that in the Govan Mbeki region alone there are a minimum of 30 000 potholes in need of repair. Using this sampling as an indicative national sampling it means that there could be in excess of 6 million potholes nationally in urgent need of patching.

The Govan Mbeki municipality spent R 5 million in 2008 in an endeavour to repair 10 000 potholes. The facts are that in spite of funds being allocated and spent, it has not had the impact the local municipality was looking for.

In fact some of the patching work lasted less than 1 month, with some lasting only 2 weeks. In contrast, during the past 12-months Empowerment Gateway has run a few pilot repair tests on various roads in the municipal district, and has found that the patching work has far outlasted the work done by others, as all potholes had retained their patching integrity, even during the rainy season.

Unemployment

In the Mpumalanga Province, unemployment was reported to be approximately 33%, compared to the national figure of 34% (DSSPD, 2001).

The graph shows the number of people in the province that are employed, and from this data it is evident that the portion of the population employed is approximately double those that are unemployed.

Currently the Extended Public Works Programme’s target is to repair during the 2008/2009 budget year, 8 900 Kilometers of the total national, provincial and regional road infrastructure, and to create approximately 45 000 work opportunities.

Work opportunities do not equate to permanent income generation opportunities, or to 45 000 jobs on a budget of R 900 million.

Since the beginning of the Public Works programme, the average income earned by a participating unemployed individual has been no more than R 4000 per person per year and the same individual is prevented from participating in the programme again for a period of up to 24 months. This process equates to a once-off grant in real terms and does nothing to alleviate the serious issues of unemployment, poverty or re-skilling.

The daily work rate in the 2008/2009-year ranges between R 30-00 and R 150-00 per day, with the average being R 66.50 per day, the principle of no work, no pay also applies within the Public Works programme.

Due to the economic downturn, industry and the business sector has limited need for new employees, and where there is a need, the vacancies available target more skilled individuals, thus further constraining employment opportunities in the country.

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Last Modified 07/09/09