Note to Editors: Please note Riona Gokool, MPL sound bite in English
Despite six years of promises of rehabilitation work by KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Department of Transport (DoT), local communities continue to suffer as a result of the continued collapse (view here and here) of the P326 road in the Entumeni and Eshowe area.
The claim – by residents, farmers, transport operators, schools, small-scale growers and businesses – comes after having been forced to endure dangerous travelling conditions, while receiving little more than excuses, delays and silence from the department.
CONTRACT: ZNB02243/00000/00/HOD/INF/23/T paints a deeply troubling picture of dysfunction, lack of accountability and administrative paralysis within the DoT.
To date, community representatives have sent countless emails, attended meetings, escalated concerns to senior officials – including the Head of Department – yet there remains no clear timeline, no contractor on site and no meaningful intervention.
What is most alarming is that;
• The department confirmed as early as October 2024 that compliance checks had been finalised and that the matter would proceed to the Bid Evaluation Committee
• Residents were repeatedly assured that rehabilitation would commence in 2025
• By November 2025 the project was reportedly still “under evaluation” and;
• By April 2026 there was still no implementation, no communication and no accountability.
In the meantime, this community is suffering daily. In addition to the above-mentioned, this road also serves Mbongolwane Hospital and numerous rural villages.
Deterioration has reached a point where residents are personally funding pothole repairs using private resources. It is unacceptable that they are forced to subsidise basic infrastructure maintenance while the department fails to provide even basic communication.
The DA calls on the department to urgently:
• Implement interim safety interventions pending rehabilitation
• Provide a full written status report on CONTRACT ZNB02243/00000/00/HOD/INF/23/T
• Explain the reasons for prolonged delays and confirm whether the tender has been awarded
• Provide clear commencement and completion timelines and;
• Account for all budget allocations linked to this project.
The continued neglect of rural road infrastructure undermines economic activity, threatens public safety and erodes public trust in government institutions. The people of Entumeni and Eshowe deserve better.