en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) announced last month the launch of a major rehabilitation program to carry out structural repairs on culverts and bridges in the City of Tshwane, ensuring their long-term safety, durability, and functional integrity.
The program is being implemented under the department's Bridge Management System framework, focusing on protecting key provincial road infrastructure. The rehabilitation works are expected to be completed within 12 months.
The scope of work encompasses a variety of structural repairs and renovation activities aimed at extending the service life of bridges and enhancing safety for road users. Specific measures include repairing existing railings and parapet walls, replacing bridge joints, patching spalled concrete, sealing cracks, widening certain bridges and their approaches, resurfacing bridge decks and approaches, installing guardrails, applying steel structure coatings, and laying pavement layers.
The program covers Wards 107, 66, 55, 48, and 7, and involves specific bridges including: Bridges B59 and B1015 on the R101 road over the Hennops River, south of Valhalla, Centurion, Pretoria; Bridge B2114 on the D775 gravel road southwest of Atteridgeville; Bridges B637, B649, and B760 on the R511 road southwest of Atteridgeville; and Bridge B142 on the R514 road northwest of Tshwane.
The GDRT stated that a structured stakeholder engagement framework has been followed, covering all affected wards. This aims to ensure transparent, fair, and inclusive participation in the program and to promote a fair and transparent recruitment process. This initiative is expected to bring skills development, employment, and local economic opportunities to the community. The process includes holding ward-based stakeholder forums for youth, women, persons with disabilities, veterans, and broad-based black economic empowerment entities and cooperatives.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, emphasized the department's responsibility to advance these rehabilitation projects, which are crucial for ensuring safer and more reliable infrastructure for motorists, freight operators, and residents of surrounding communities. The GDRT appealed for patience and understanding from all parties during the construction period, noting that contractors and other stakeholders have committed to minimizing public inconvenience. The department also reminded motorists and the public to exercise extra caution near construction zones, obey temporary road signs, and cooperate with traffic officials.
Just three days before the announcement of the rehabilitation program, Diale-Tlabela completed oversight inspections of the Tsamaya Road (K54) and Garsfontein Road (K50) projects. The GDRT stated that these inspections aim to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the projects, ensuring they comply with approved plans, budgets, and quality standards. Diale-Tlabela expressed confidence that both the K54 and K50 projects would be completed on time and within budget.
She noted that the K54 and K50 projects are critical investments in Gauteng's future, and that improving road infrastructure will enhance mobility, reduce travel times, stimulate economic activity, and create opportunities for communities across the province. The GDRT indicated that the oversight program is designed to identify operational and technical challenges that could cause project delays, and inspections also allow officials to take immediate corrective action.
Diale-Tlabela mentioned that road infrastructure development has always been a significant challenge for Gauteng due to various issues such as encroachments, community disruptions, project stoppages, and contractor performance, necessitating continuous project evaluation to ensure timely completion. She added that proactive oversight is essential to ensure projects meet engineering and safety standards while maintaining accountability and transparency in the use of public funds.
The department stated that continued investment in smart transport infrastructure is part of the government's broader vision to improve accessibility and socio-economic opportunities in Gauteng. Diale-Tlabela reiterated the government's responsibility to ensure that every rand invested in infrastructure delivers tangible benefits to residents, and that through these inspections, regulatory bodies are strengthening accountability, transparency, and quality service delivery.
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