The Department of Public Works, Roads, and Transport (DPWRT) has finally broken its silence on the Tonga road controversy, following a collapse protest by the community.
The protest, which saw residents blocking roads and chanting slogans, was sparked by the deplorable condition of the road leading to the Tonga Hospital, which has made it difficult for the community to access the nearby facility.
As such, protesters demanded that the municipality take immediate action to reconstruct the road, ensuring safe and easy access to the hospital.
READ | Tonga residents take to the streets, demand better service delivery
In a surprising turn of events, the Nkomazi Local Municipality had initially claimed that the Department of Public Works, Roads, and Transport was responsible for the reconstruction and maintenance of the road. However, the department has since clarified that the municipality is, in fact, responsible for the road’s upkeep.
In a statement released on January 28, the department set the record straight and stated: “Contrary to the claims made by the municipality, the department would like to set the record straight that the access road to Tonga Hospital is, in fact, a municipal road and falls under the jurisdiction of the local municipality.”
The department further urged the municipality to take immediate action to address the concerns regarding the condition of the access road to Tonga Hospital.
“As a provincial government, our mandate is to maintain and upgrade provincial roads, which are designed as such in terms of the South African Numbering System. The access road to Tonga Hospital does not form part of our provincial road network and is therefore not our responsibility to maintain. It is their responsibility to ensure that all municipal roads, including this one, are well-maintained and safe for use by the community,” noted the department.
