Frustrated Eastern Cape public servants demand action over 5-year road construction delay

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25-03-2025
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News 24
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• Eastern Cape public servants in Ngqeleni are unable to get to work after recent heavy rains that hit the province.
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• The bad condition of a critical road prevented teachers from travelling to 11 schools in the area.
• The Eastern Cape government said the construction of the 26km road was stalled due to budget constraints, with completion projected for 2027.

Fed-up Eastern Cape government employees have expressed frustration over the protracted delay in the construction of a tar road in Ngqeleni, which is essential for their daily travels.

After recent heavy downpours in the province led to the deterioration of the road, the public servants were unable to get to work.

The 26km road, which runs from a taxi stop popularly known as Kokshop to the government-run Canzibe Hospital, had been under construction for almost five years, according to them.

Last Friday and on Monday, teachers from 11 schools in Ngqeleni, as well as some staff members from Canzibe were unable to get to work.

This led to frustrated public servants picketing outside the premises of the contractor on Monday.

Affected schools are:

• Dalibhunga Senior Secondary,
• Ntshilini Senior Secondary,
• Ntshilini Senior Primary,
• Gavin Junior Secondary,
• Mnqabe Junior Secondary,
• Luthambo Junior Secondary,
• Jongintaba Senior Primary,
• Skhoma Junior Secondary,
• Nomadolo Junior Secondary,
• Mkhundlu Junior Secondary, and
• Goso Senior Primary.

A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told News24 the road was the only route they used to and from the schools.

It's been [five] years since they started the construction of what they promised was going to be a tar road. It's a nightmare to travel on this road when it is raining.

We were frustrated. Over 100 teachers were unable to report to work due to the condition of that road. This affected our learners who had to be released early because there were not enough teachers to teach them."

She said they were told the delays were due to a lack of funds.

Another teacher added: 

We have been patient enough and not asking the questions. We felt it was about time we got the answers and voiced our frustration.

Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the project was implemented by an "in-house construction team".

Binqose added the team only arrived in the area in September 2020 "to re-gravel the entire 26km stretch of road".

He said the Covid-19 lockdown and "sporadic service delivery protests" in the area had negatively affected the project.

Binqose added the team had resurfaced 10km to date and was working on resurfacing an additional 6km by end of this year.

"The rest of the 10km is planned for completion in March 2027. This is as a result of an insufficient annual budget allocation due to competing priorities. Bigger allocations go to projects that are implemented using private contractors," he said.