Alfred Moselakgomo

Alfred Moselakgomo

Motorists have reacted with shock to the Automobile Association's 20-year review that only 16percent of provincial roads require urgent repairs.

Master Lamola of Lefiso village said: No ways. Which roads were assessed? Because you can clearly see our bad roads are deteriorating."

Clive Hatch from Nelspruit said: "What about building extravagant pedestrian bridges over temporary roads in the Wakkerstroom area, the washed-away roads outside Middelburg that prevent school buses transporting children to school, insufficient safety signage across the province and muddy, inaccessible roads in and around Hazyview?"

The AA says that the country's road network has continued to deteriorate in the past decade, albeit at a slower rate than between 1988 and 1998.

"The replacement value of the national and provincial road network is estimated at R1trillion and this includes bridges, structures, cuts and fills," said the AA.

The maintenance backlog is estimated at R100billion, of which R95billion is for provincial roads and R5billion is for national roads. To keep paved roads in good condition, about R120000 needs to be spent every year on every kilometre. For gravel roads, about R80000 a kilometre a year should be provided for re-gravelling and routine maintenance.