SANRAL REOPENS R61 ROAD AFTER LAST YEAR COLLAPSE IN SOUTH AFRICA

The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) has reopen the R61 that was damaged to the public after the culvert was replaced at the Tsomo Junction in the Eastern Cape.

During the reopening of the road, Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula said “Emboldened by tangible progress towards repairing and recovering this road, undertaken with a great sense of urgency and an unwavering commitment from our officials and contractors, we made a bold commitment on 4 February 2022 that before the end of this month, we will be back here to re-open this road.”

The R61 road connects to Mthatha, which is the economic centre of the district, divided by the N2 running southwest to northeast through the town.

Meanwhile, SANRAL has been directed to commence with the administrative process of taking four strategic routes guided by the law. This route include provincial road R61, also known as District Road DR08004 and DR08005, from Tombo outside Port St Johns to the town of Port St Johns, and to Mzamba at the Umtamvuma River with the length of the road at 180 kilometres.

SANRAL is also expected to take over provincial Road DR08038 from R61 to Cala (52 kms) and DR08012 from Maluti to Qacha’s Nek (23 kms) DR08031 and DR18031 from Viedgesville to Coffe Bay with a length of 76 kms.

Mbalula noted that “We are aware of the growing complaints from the tourism sector, the agricultural sector and communities on the Wild Coast, in relation to the unbearable condition of that road. We have therefore directed SANRAL not only to include that road in their immediate plans, but to also ensure swift finalisation of its designs and costing, so that we can get it fixed.”

SOURCE: SA News